Hall of Fame shortstop and Marlins CEO Derek Jeter announced Monday he is stepping down from his position with Miami after nearly five years with the franchise.
“Today I am announcing that the Miami Marlins and I are officially ending our relationship and I will no longer serve as CEO nor as a shareholder in the club,” Jeter said in a press release. “We had a vision five years ago to turn the Marlins franchise around, and as CEO, I have been proud to put my name and reputation on the line to make our plan a reality. Through hard work, trust and accountability, we transformed every aspect of the franchise, reshaping the workforce, and developing a long-term strategic plan for success
“That said, the vision for the future of the franchise is different than the one I signed up to lead. Now is the right time for me to step aside as a new season begins.”
In a separate release, the Marlins thanked Jeter for his contributions as the team’s CEO.
“The Miami Marlins and Derek Jeter announced today that they have agreed to officially end their relationship. The Marlins thank Derek for his many contributions and wish him luck in his future endeavors,” Marlins owner Bruce Sherman said. “We have a deep bench of talent that will oversee both business and baseball decisions while we work to identify a new CEO to lead our franchise.
“The ownership group is committed to keep investing in the future of the franchise—and we are determined to build a team that will return to the postseason and excite Marlins fans and the local community.”
Joel Sherman of The New York Post reported that Jeter went into the lockout believing that there would be an additional $10 to $15 million that the Marlins would be able to spend on the 2022 roster. However, that strategy reportedly “evaporated” during the lockout, leading to Jeter’s decision to leave the franchise.
The Marlins compiled a record of 218–327 over the four seasons with Jeter as CEO, Their best year with Jeter as the CEO came in the COVID-shortened 2020 season, where the Marlins finished in second-place in the NL East and made the playoffs for the first time since 2003. The Marlins lost in the 2020 NLDS to the Braves.
It is not immediately clear what’s next for Jeter as he moves on from his first role in a baseball front office.
