<P> Considered the fourth - best prospect in baseball by Baseball America heading into the 1995 season, the Yankees projected Jeter as their starting shortstop . He suffered mild inflammation in his right shoulder in the Arizona Fall League after the conclusion of the 1994 regular season . As a precaution, the Yankees signed Tony Fernández to a two - year contract . With Fernández the starting shortstop, the Yankees assigned Jeter to Class AAA . During the 1994--95 Major League Baseball strike, Gene Michael, the Yankees' general manager, offered Jeter the opportunity to work out for the MLB team with replacement players in spring training before the 1995 season . Jeter denied receiving the offer, and did not cross the picket line . </P> <P> Early in the 1995 season, Fernández and infielder Pat Kelly were injured . Consequently, Jeter made his MLB debut on May 29, 1995 . Jeter was assigned uniform number 2, which had been worn by Mike Gallego from 1992 to 1994, one of only two single - digit numbers available at the time . Batting ninth, he went hitless in five at bats, striking out once . The following day, he recorded his first two major league hits and scored his first two career runs . Jeter batted . 250 and committed two errors in 13 games before being demoted to Class AAA Columbus; Fernández replaced Jeter at shortstop . The Yankees advanced to the postseason in 1995 . Jeter traveled with the team during the 1995 American League Division Series (ALDS), though he was not on the active roster . The Yankees lost to the Seattle Mariners . </P> <P> After Fernández batted a disappointing . 245 and appeared in only 108 games due to injuries in 1995, newly hired Yankees manager Joe Torre asserted that Jeter would be the starting shortstop for the 1996 season, indicating that he hoped Jeter could bat . 250 and be dependable defensively . Yankees owner George Steinbrenner, often skeptical of younger players, was not convinced . Clyde King, a close Steinbrenner advisor, observed Jeter for two days in spring training in 1996, and came away with the impression that Jeter was not yet ready . To provide depth to the team at the shortstop position after an injury to Fernández, Steinbrenner approved a trade that would have sent pitcher Mariano Rivera to the Mariners for shortstop Félix Fermín, but Michael, by then the vice president of scouting, and assistant general manager Brian Cashman convinced Steinbrenner to give Jeter an opportunity . </P> <P> Rated the sixth - best prospect in baseball by Baseball America heading into the 1996 season, Jeter started on Opening Day, the first Yankee rookie to start as shortstop for the team since Tom Tresh in 1962 . He hit his first MLB home run that day . With his speed and ability to execute the hit and run, Jeter served as a complement to leadoff hitter Tim Raines while batting in the ninth spot in the batting order . Jeter had a successful rookie season, exceeding Torre's expectations, as he hit for a . 314 batting average, with 10 home runs, 104 runs scored, and 78 RBI . Receiving all 28 first - place votes in the AL Rookie of the Year balloting, Jeter was the fifth unanimous choice for the award in its 50 - year history . </P>

Who played shortstop before derek jeter for the yankees