Prospects revel in dinner at the Captain’s table
TAMPA — Derek Jeter gathered the Yankees’ top prospects Tuesday night for steaks and an informal Q&A at Oxford Exchange and wowed the group of starstruck youngsters.
“Everybody’s eyes were wide open,’’ James Kaprielian, the Yankees’ top pitching prospect and first-round pick out of UCLA in 2015, said of the audience when Jeter talked to the group of 20. Minor league head Gary Denbo organized the event at the end of Captains Week at the minor league complex. Denbo also attended the gathering.
Lefty Justus Sheffield, who came to the Yankees from the Indians in the Andrew Miller deal that also netted outfielder Clint Frazier, said Jeter ruled the room.
“You could hear a pin drop, everybody was locked in,’’ the 20-year-old Sheffield said. “He was open. Every question everybody asked he had a main point. It was relaxed and nobody was tense. We were firing questions at him and he answered all of them.’’
One question centered around an 0-for-30 slump.
“He said he stayed positive, that he didn’t like to think negatively,’’ Sheffield said. “He looked back when he did have success and pretty much said, ‘If I have success then I can have success now.’ ”
Kaprielian, who turns 23 next month, compared Jeter’s message to the same one instilled by his parents and stood out.
“For me it was respect. My parents taught me respect a lot and that was the same message from Derek,’’ Kaprielian said.
According to Kaprielian and Sheffield, Jeter didn’t stick to just the game.
“He said ask me anything on and off the field,’’ Kaprielian said.
Sheffield, who grew up a Red Sox fan in Tennessee, couldn’t help liking Jeter from the other side of the best rivalry in sports.
“I loved watching him play and the way he went about his business,’’ Sheffield said. “How can you not like Derek Jeter?’’
Joe Girardi said the informal gathering was a huge plus for the young players.
“I think it’s a huge benefit because you can get away from the ballpark and see how guys act away from the ballpark,’’ Girardi said. “You can get in a small setting and communicate. Derek obviously knows the Yankee way and what he went through to be successful, how he struggled as a minor league player and how each year he got better and doing so many great things here.’’