Where did Derek Jeter go to college? Explaining The Captain's Michigan connection before MLB playing career

Why is The Captain the Michigan captain this Saturday?

Derek Jeter – the five-time World Series champion Baseball Hall of Fame shortstop with the New York Yankees – will be the honorary captain for No. 10 Michigan against No. 3 Texas at Michigan Stadium. The Big Noon Kickoff on Fox is sure to camera-pan to Jeter a few times during the game between the Wolverines and Longhorns.

Jeter has attended Michigan games in the past, including the BYU matchup on Sept. 26, 2015, when former Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh presented Jeter with a Michigan football jersey.

Which is going to beg the question: Did Jeter go to Michigan? Why is he the Wolverines' honorary captain?

Derek Jeter hometown

Jeter was born in Pequannock Township, N.J., but his family moved to Kalamazoo, Mich., when he was a child. His father Sanderson played baseball in college at Fisk University in Nashville, Tenn. Jeter's mother Dorothy met Sanderson while both were serving in the military.

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Did Derek Jeter play baseball at Michigan?

Jeter was a standout athlete at Kalamazoo Central High School.

He hit .557 with seven home runs as a junior in 1991. The following season, Jeter hit .508 with four home runs, 23 RBIs and 12 stolen bases in 23 games.

He was named the USA Today High School Baseball Player of the Year – one year before future teammate Alex Rodriguez won the same award. Jeter became a top recruiting target for Michigan, and he also visited Notre Dame and Miami.

Jeter had watched Barry Larkin – a MVP shortstop with the Cincinnati Reds – lead Michigan to the College World Series in 1983-84.  Jeter committed to play baseball at Michigan despite the fact that his mother Dorothy was a Notre Dame fan.

"I was a big University of Michigan fan and I still am today," Jeter said in a 2014 profile with Michigan baseball. "When I really fell in love with Michigan was on my recruiting trip.

Jeter is a member of the Michigan Baseball Hall of Fame .

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Where did Derek Jeter go to college?

Jeter took classes at Michigan in the fall semester of 1992 after playing in the minors for the Yankees, but he withdrew from college in 1993. So, yes, Jeter did attend Michigan even though he did not play baseball for the Wolverines.

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Derek Jeter MLB Draft

Jeter's plans changed, however, after the 1992 MLB Baseball Draft when he was selected with the No. 6 pick in the draft by the Yankees.

According to the National Baseball Hall of Fame , "With the selection, Jeter became the highest-drafted player from Michigan since pitcher Steve Avery was picked by the Braves third overall in 1988. He also became the first high school player taken in the 1992 draft, and the fifth consecutive high school player the Yankees had selected with their first pick."

Jeter played 20 seasons with the Yankees from 1995-2014. He was a .310 career hitter with 260 homers and 1,311 RBIs. The 14-time All-Star gained a reputation as a clutch player in the postseason – where he was a .308 hitter.

Jeter was part of the Yankees' dynasty that won four straight World Series championships in 1996 and 1998-2000. He won a fifth championship in 2009. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2020.