In this, the eighth article in our Hall of Fame series, Canadian Baseball Network editor-in-chief Bob Elliott shares the story of legendary scout Dick Groch evaluating and signing New York Yankees superstar shortstop Derek Jeter leading up to the MLB draft in 1992. Jeter will be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame on September 8, alongside Larry Walker (Maple Ridge, B.C.), Ted Simmons and Marvin Miller.

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Larry Walker’s on Larry Walker, Jr. ||||| Steve Rogers on Marvin Miller

Clint Hurdle on Larry Walker IIIII Mario Ziino on Ted Simmons

Stubby Clapp on Larry Walker IIIII Buck Showalter on Derek Jeter

Gene Glynn on Larry Walker IIIII

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August 27, 2021

By Bob Elliott

Canadian Baseball Network

Nowadays a little more than 50% of a team’s slot money goes to the first-round pick in the annual draft of high schoolers and collegians.

And some say scouting departments may spend as much as 60% of their time on their first-round selection.

Questions, questions and more questions.

The No. 1 question for a high school player -- asked 20 different ways -- is will the player sign or is he going to university?

That was the case in 1992.

Coming off a 71-win season under manager Stump Merrill in 1991, the New York Yankees had the sixth overall pick in North America the next year.

Leading up to the draft Dick Groch, a senior evaluator, was in the war room praising Kalamazoo, Mich. high schooler Derek Jeter to scouting director Bill Livesey.

The conversation of the often-told story unfolded like this:

Livesey: “Where is this kid going to school? Does he have a school? Is he going to the University of Michigan?”

Groch: “No, he’s not going to Michigan.”

Livesey: “Has he signed a letter of intent to attend Michigan State?”

Groch: “No, he’s not going to Michigan State.”

Livesey: “Well ... where is he going?”

Groch: “This kid is going to Cooperstown.”

Groch was right, of course. It is one of the reasons his nickname is The Legend. The Yankee Captain will be inducted Sept. 8 along with Larry Walker (Maple Ridge, BC), Ted Simmons and the late union leader Marvin Miller.

Jeter was a first-ballot Hall of Famer in 2020. Only a pandemic delayed his induction into Cooperstown this September.

There was a time when the Yankees would talk about Jeter’s intangibles, his defence, his leadership, his ability to turn an 0-2 count into a nine-pitch walk.

Well, 3,000 hits is pretty tangible ... 3,465 actually.

Groch, like most wise scouts has a sense of humour. Once, he went to see Drew Henson quarterback of the Michigan Wolverines, an eventual Yankee draft choice. Infielders Chuck Knoblauch and Jeter came too. The three watched from the sidelines.

On Monday, Groch phoned the Bronx and told Yankee general manager Brian Cashman how difficult his Saturday was. Why’s that?

“There were 104,000 people screaming wanting to know who the three guys with Dick Groch were,” Groch told Cashman.

The Yankees asked Milwaukee Brewers GM Doug Melvin for permission to invite Groch, by then a Brewers scout to follow Jeter in the final days of Jeter’s chase for 3,000.

Groch’s sideline story made the rounds and so when George King of the New York Post noticed Groch and Jeter talking on the field before the all-star break he called Groch’s cell phone and left the following message:

“Dick the stadium is starting to fill up and most of the 44,000 fans want to know who is the guy talking to you.”

Groch earned his nickname coaching at St. Clair Community College in St. Clair, Mich. He was also the only team -- besides Cincinnati Reds’ scouts, led by John Castlebury -- interested in signing 1B Joey Votto (Etobicoke, Ont.). Votto went in the second round of 2002. Groch had driven from Michigan and was encamped in Etobicoke ready to sign Votto, when he went 44th overall to the Reds. The Yankees’ first pick was 71st overall.

“Learned more from him in one year than I did my four years in the minors,” said Robbie Thomson (Stratford, Ont.) former Yankee coach, now the Philadelphia Phillies bench coach under Joe Girardi.

Here is the Scouting Report that Groch filled out on Jeter leading up to the MLB draft in 1992:

If you had trouble reading the writing on Grouch’s Scouting Report, here is the typed translation:

Physical Description (Injuries, Glasses, etc.): Long lean sinewy body. Long arms, long legs. Narrow waist. Thin ankles. Live “electric” movements.

Abilities: Above average arm. Quick release. Accurate throws with outstanding carry. Soft hands. Good range, active feet. Very good runner 4.33 (R), 4.41 (R). Fow on the bases shows pure potential. Quick bat.

Weaknesses: Anxious hitter, needs to learn to be more patient at the plate. Swing slightly long.

Summation and signability: “A Yankee!” A five-tool player. Will be a ML all-star! Plus 5.