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Dick Groch, Scout Who Championed Derek Jeter to Yankees, Dies at 84

His decisive call on a Michigan-bound high school shortstop became a touchstone in modern scouting.

Overview

  • MLB.com's Adam McCalvy reported Wednesday night that Groch died at 84, with no cause of death disclosed.
  • Groch was a longtime Yankees scout who later served as a special assistant to the Milwaukee Brewers' general manager.
  • He is credited with persuading Yankees scouting director Bill Livesey to draft Derek Jeter despite the shortstop's commitment to the University of Michigan.
  • Groch's pre-draft report graded Jeter a 64 on the 20–80 scouting scale, signaling an expectation of star-level performance.
  • Jeter went on to a Hall of Fame career, hitting .310 with 3,465 hits and 260 home runs and earning election to Cooperstown in 2020.