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Derek Jeter made his MLB debut with the Yankees in May 1995. By that October, he was with the team — although not on the roster — during their ALDS loss to the Mariners.
A year later, Jeter was the American League Rookie of the Year and a World Series champion.
Not even the ultra-confident Jeter expected similarly quick success after taking charge of a Marlins franchise organization in 2017 as CEO and part owner.
He told reporters before the July trade deadline, “The organization is stronger than it was 3 1/2 years ago when we took over, but we could be better. … Ultimately, we have to win more games. I think that the [2021] season has been a disappointment. I think it’s been a disappointment for everyone.”
Others around the league tend to agree, although many said they didn’t expect Miami, 55-78 and in last place in the NL East this year, to get back to the playoffs — as it did during the COVID-shortened 2020 season when the postseason was expanded.
“He’s smart and putting the time in,’’ one American League executive said of Jeter’s role with the Marlins. “He’s in a place that needed a lot of work and he’s obviously on the other end of the spectrum from the Yankees, where they had money and tradition and a huge fan base. He has none of those advantages now. But he’s committed and doing what he’s supposed to do. I don’t think anyone is surprised by that.”
Though Jeter hasn’t made too many big splashes when it comes to acquisitions, he hasn’t shied away from decisive moves.
After gaining control of the team, among Jeter’s first trades was jettisoning Giancarlo Stanton — and his enormous contract — to his former team.
On Dec. 11, 2017, Stanton went from the Marlins to the Yankees, with Starlin Castro and prospects Jose Devers and Jorge Guzman going to Miami.
The Marlins are also paying $30 million of Stanton’s remaining contract, a stipulation that became official when Stanton declined to opt-out of the remaining seven years and $218 million last offseason.
Jeter and the Marlins were mostly lauded for the result of the deal, which was made more tricky by Stanton’s partial no-trade clause that limited where Miami could trade him.
Stanton has had flashes of brilliance with the Yankees, but has mostly been a disappointment. He’s largely stayed healthy this season, but will turn 32 in November.
That was just part of the purge during the first offseason, as Jeter also sent Christian Yelich to Milwaukee — where he won an MVP — and Marcell Ozuna to the Cardinals.
While there have been other transactions under Jeter’s watch, perhaps the most important came last year, when he hired Kim Ng — a former Yankee executive — to become the first female general manager in MLB history.
This year, Jeter came out in support of MLB’s decision to move the All-Star Game out of Atlanta following Georgia’s voting rights legislation.
Ultimately, though, Jeter’s tenure in Miami will be judged by whether he was able to guide the Marlins to success on the field.
In order to get out of the basement in the NL East, where the Marlins are battling the Nationals this season, they’ll need to increase payroll.
Jeter has a 4 percent stake in the franchise, with Bruce Sherman the principal owner.
After decades with a franchise that is nearly always in the top two in payroll — and playing for George Steinbrenner — Jeter has had to learn a different way of building an organization.
For a third straight year since Jeter and the new regime took over, the Marlins rank 27th in payroll, according to Spotrac. This year, only the tanking Pirates and Orioles, as well as the rebuilding Indians, come in lower than the Marlins’ $57 million.
But Jeter said he understands the gradual nature of the rebuild because of his playing career.
“I’d say I have a lot more patience than most people in this position because I understand there’s failure,’’ Jeter said of his role as team president. “I think I may have a little bit more insight.”
Help might be on the way, as Miami was ranked to have the No. 3 farm system by MLB Pipeline following this year’s trade deadline, highlighted by 18-year-old shortstop Kahlil Watson, who is currently in rookie ball.
Closer to the majors — and perhaps helping out 25-year-old right-hander Sandy Alcantara — are right-handers Sixto Sanchez, Edward Cabrera and Max Meyer.
As the game, for better or worse, trends away from professional scouting and more toward analytics, Jeter said he wants a mix of both.
“I always liked having as much information [as possible] before making a decision,’’ Jeter said of his mindset as a player. “Analytics are extremely important. … You can’t measure everything with analytics. There’s a part you have to see with your own eyes.”
His eyes tell him the team is getting better.
“We’re making progress,’’ Jeter said. “We did make progress. We made it to the postseason last year. It was the first time this organization had gone to the playoffs in 17 years.”
The next step will be getting back there.
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