Aug 28, 2014 09:55 AM EDT By Russell Westerholm, UniversityHerald Reporter

Derek Jeter's impressive high school baseball career gave him some promising college choices, but none compared to the University of Michigan (UM) for the Hall-of-Fame-bound shortstop.

According to the New York Times, the career Yankee spoke about his history with the state of Michigan in the last regular season series visiting the Detroit Tigers. Set to retire at season's end, Jeter grew up a stone's throw form the old Tiger Stadium and his father was a huge Tigers fan.

Jeter was born in Pequannock, N.J., but his family moved to Kalamazoo, Mich. when he was young. After playing for Kalamazoo high school, the Yankees drafted him sixth overall in the 1992 MLB Draft. While his mother wanted him to attend Notre Dame and the University of Miami brought him in for a visit, Jeter had his sights set on UM.

"I saw a couple of parties, so I was sold on the campus at the University of Michigan," Jeter told reporters of his trip to Ann Arbor before Wednesday night's game in Detroit. "I think I made the right choice."

Even though Jeter signed a letter of intent to play baseball at UM, coach Bill Freehan was fairly certain the shortstop would sign with the Yankees, Steve Kornacki recalled in a piece published on the UM Athletics Department's website.

"Coach Freehan and me, we had a great relationship," Jeter told Kornacki. "He and (assistant coach) Ace Adams. I wanted to come to the University of Michigan and that was a real possibility."

After speaking with reporters, UM's baseball staff presented Jeter with a framed Wolverines jersey with his no. 2 on it. UM may be caught up in a "what-if" scenario, but the gesture was more of what Jeter has been used to during his last season in the majors. Everywhere he goes, if it is the last regular season series there, the team will either donate to his Turn 2 Foundation or give some token or gift.

Jeter said before the game that he does not want to make plans for retirement, but you can pretty much lock him in for at least one Michigan home football game.

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