NYC Scouts Clinic features Jeter's nephew, CC's son
Joe Trezza
NEW YORK -- When Derek Jeter hit a walk-off single in his final game at Yankee Stadium, the indelible moment from 2014 was emphasized by his young nephew, Jalen, tipping his hat to the Yankees¡¯ captain from the stands. Wearing an oversized RE2PECT hat, Jalen was young enough then for his grandparents to be holding him up. But his gesture made headlines.
There were quite a few eyes on Jalen Jeter-Martin again Friday, but this time -- want to feel old? -- he was on the field playing in front of professional scouts. Now 13, Jeter-Martin was one of 95 players aged 12-17 from the NYC area to participate in the first-ever NYC Scouts Clinic at Jack Kaiser Stadium on the campus of St. John¡¯s University in Queens. The clinic, which featured morning and afternoon sessions, was run entirely by Major League area scouts and gave participants the chance to be instructed by coaches who know what future big league talent looks like.
¡°It¡¯s a great opportunity to play with some of the best players in the northeast,¡± Jeter-Martin said. ¡°I like to collaborate with them and make new friends here.¡±
The free, day-long event was designed by MLB Develops with the intention of providing exposure to promising amateur players who are unable to attend dozens of high-profile showcases throughout the summer. MLB Develops also put on a similar free scouts showcase in August in Worcester, Mass., designed for Boston-area youth.
On Friday, Jeter-Martin wasn¡¯t the only participant who knows something about the pinstripes. Also participating was Carter Sabathia, son of former Yankees ace CC Sabathia, a 14-year-old infielder/right-handed pitcher from Alpine, N.J. Carter¡¯s older brother, Carsten, who is entering his junior year as a first baseman at Georgia Tech, is also a product of MLB Develops.
¡°My dad has taught me to never think about the past, to always think about the next pitch and to look to the future,¡± Carter Sabathia said. ¡°[Participating in the showcase] helps me see where I¡¯m at compared to the other players in the area.¡±
Seven MLB area scouts from five Major League organizations ran and instructed the clinic: Ray Fagnant (Red Sox), Mikael Mogue (Cubs), Matt Hyde (Yankees), Tim Alexander (Yankees), Danny Corona (Yankees), Jim Bretz (Tigers) and Will Habib (Mets). The morning session featured 50 kids from the graduating classes of 2026, '27, '28, '29, '30, '31 and '32. The afternoon session featured 45 older players from the classes of 2025, '26, '27 and '28.
Jeter-Martin said participating in the showcase helped him ¡°learn a lot of new skills, not just in baseball but in life.¡±
¡°I want to make it to the Major Leagues, but first, I want to get into a good college,¡± he said.
The first step is taking the field in front of the right people.