To the many fans of the New York Yankees, Derek Jeter is Mr. Yankee. Along with his status as captain of the team, he's one of the best shortstops in Major League Baseball and a favorite of collectors.
The Yankee teams of the late 20th and early 21st centuries were known for spending big money on free agents, but Jeter is an exception. He was selected by New York with the sixth overall pick in the 1992 amateur draft, and it took him only a few years in the minors before he was ready to make his big league debut in 1995.
Jeter won Rookie of the Year honors in 1996 and has been a fixture in the Bronx ever since. His fall exploits have laid the foundation for several championship teams, most notably in 2000 when he was named World Series MVP. Jeter holds the MLB career postseason records for most hits and runs scored.
Though he may never put up the same gaudy numbers of some of his contemporaries - like teammate Alex Rodriguez, who started his career at short - Jeter has a career average well over .300 and should eclipse 3000 hits if he stays healthy. He's also more than adequate in the field, making him a complete package.
He also has the perfect personality for the New York lifestyle and is often linked to actresses, singers and models in his private life. Numerous companies take advantage of Jeter's looks and charm to pitch their products, making him a regular in advertisements of all kinds.
All of these qualities make Jeter attractive to collectors even if they aren't Yankees fans. His rookie cards hail from the 1993 season, and high quality copies of his SP # 279 - which can be tricky to find because the foil borders are prone to chipping - are always in high demand.
Derek Jeter 1993 Rookie Cards
- Bowman # 511
- Pinnacle # 457
- Score # 489
- Select # 360
- SP # 279
- Stadium Club Murphy # 117
- Topps # 98
- Upper Deck # 449