Five players were selected ahead of Derek Jeter in the 1992 MLB draft, and one of them is the current Yankees third baseman coach.
Phil Nevin was ranked as the Astros’ first overall pick as Cal-State Fullerton’s third baseman, and played 12 seasons in the majors with seven teams.
The others selected ahead of Jeter, who will be consecrated Wednesday at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, were pitchers Paul Shuey (Indians) and BJ Wallace (Expos) and outsiders Jeffrey Hammonds (Orioles) and Chad Mottola ( Reds).
Nevin joked that he recently read an article comparing the five players selected ahead of Jeter to the six quarterbacks taken ahead of Tom Brady in the 2000 NFL draft.
“They had Brady 6 and Jeter 5. It sounded like we were all facing a failure. … It’s obviously not the Hall of Famers, but some of us had an impact on the game,” Nevin said. “The baseball draft is such a talk compared to the NBA or the NFL. … But it’s an honor to have your name mentioned with players like Derek, to be honest. It was an honor to be on the same field with him for so long.I see him, I consider him an acquaintance for that [that connection]. I’m glad it ends up happening for him and for him tomorrow [fellow inductee] Larry Walker “.
Nevin drove more than 100 runs three times, including his only All-Star appearance at the Padres in 2001, when he hit .306 with 41 homers, 126 RBI and a .976 OPS best run.
Aaron Boone, a Jeter’s second-half teammate in the 2003 Yankees squad who lost to the Marlins in the World Series, said current players grew up with the former captain as “the face of Major League Baseball “.
“Absolutely, you can’t stop being part of this organization and learning about the impact Derek’s had,” Boone said. “He’s someone I’m sure you walk into and a handful of guys were his favorite player, and for the modern player, people are very aware of that.”
Asked about his brief tenure as Jeter’s teammate, Boone added, “He was amazing. I always looked at him as a great player. When I got here and I was able to play alongside him, what I say to people all the time, he was better than I thought he was.The safest player I’ve ever played with.He could have played with better or more talented players, but no one played with the intrepid confidence Derek brought to the field every day , and certainly in the greatest moments ”.
Boone said Domingo German (shoulder) and Luis Severino (shoulder) did bullpen sessions before Tuesday’s game. … Luis Gil will start Wednesday followed by Nestor Cortes Jr. the following night Jordan Montgomery will throw the series opener Friday against the Mets followed by Corey Kluber on Saturday. … Boone said pitcher Michael King (finger) “could be back with us at the end of the week.”