Why My Kid Will Never Be the Next Derek Jeter or Lionel Messi

Let’s just get this out of the way.

Your kid (and mine) is probably not the next Derek Jeter. Or Lionel Messi. Or Michael Phelps, Shohei Ohtani, or any other generational talent.

Not because they aren’t talented or hardworking — but because those odds are astronomically low.

And yet… we train, spend, travel, and strategize like we’re building the next GOAT.

So let’s take a breath and look at this whole thing from another angle.

6 Reasons My Kid Will Never Be the Next Derek Jeter (and Why I’m Okay With That)

1. Math. Just... math.

Roughly half a million kids play high school baseb

all in the U.S. each year. Fewer than 2.5% of them play Division I. A fraction of them get drafted. Even fewer make the big leagues. And fewer still stay long enough to make life-changing money. You do the math.

2. He’s 10. And he's just starting to wear deodorant.

There’s talent… and then there’s maturity. One comes sooner than the other. And usually not at the same time.

3. The pressure’s already nuts — and he’s not even in high school.

A coach is already talking about "exposure." Let’s be honest: the stakes feel way too high, way too early. We’re trying not to make it worse.

4. We’re not banking on a scholarship.

It’d be great. But if he gets one, we want it to be because of his talent and work ethic — not because we treated childhood like a résumé.

5. He actually enjoys the game.

Crazy, right? A kid… who still likes playing? We’re going to protect that for as long as we can.

6. Because greatness isn’t always about going pro.

What if the real goal is becoming a great teammate? A resilient young man? Someone who plays for the joy of it — not just to get seen or to get to the next level?