He was all over the place by the time he retired. The Yankees jersey he made famous was the best-selling jersey in baseball.

The best-selling MLB jersey of all time, according to one prominent baseball merchandiser, was the one worn by the Yankees' captain. After he retired, the love of Jeter continued as he remained atop most lists of baseball's most recognizable stars for years.

When it comes to putting the influence of No. 2 into context, all of that doesn't change much. During his 20-year career with the Yankees, Jeter accumulated 3,465 hits, 14 All-Star appearances, five World Series titles and legions of fans of all ages. Some of the Captain fans are great baseball players.

The data was gathered from baseball-reference.com and MLB.com to find out which jersey numbers were the most productive.

The stories of the players who currently wear the only other four numbers to rank in the top 10 of average and total WAR and be worn by at least 100 players from 2005 to 2021, can be found below.

The Captain The Captain

The first episode of "THE CAPTAIN" will be aired on Monday, July 18. There is an hour and a half later. The trailer has a lot of information.

After a few flirtations with uniform numbers, the practice of putting them on player jerseys began with the Yankees in 1929. Babe Ruth wore the number 3 because it was his place in the batting order that made him wear it. Mark Koenig was a member of the 1927 Yankees team.

Jeter has a lot to do with the proliferation of high-level No. 2's in the game since he arrived. A number of the game's top infielders wear the number they wear because of the influence of the Yankees' captain. The parents of a Boston player who made his debut this season honored their son in a more profound way than usual. He's named after the Captain, and that's right.

As a rookie in 2014, Bogaerts, who calls Jeter his “role model,” inherited No. 2 from Jacoby Ellsbury. In 2015, Boston signed Bogaerts' other boyhood hero, Hanley Ramirez, who had worn No. 2 with the Marlins to honor Jeter, his idol. With No. 2 bogarted, Ramirez cursed his luck and settled for No. 13.
When the Yankees retired Jeter's number in 2017 between games of a doubleheader with Houston, his biggest fan wearing Astros orange was Bregman ... Jackie Bregman. Alex's grand slam minutes later with his mom in the stands felt dictated by fate, or as Alex said: “Guess it was the No. 2 magic tonight.”
Chisholm first met Jeter in 2019 during BP at Double-A Jacksonville and asked the then-CEO of the Marlins: “What do I have to do to be a Hall of Famer?” As a rookie in 2021, he chose the boss' No. 2, which also happened to be the number of his favorite NBA player, Charlotte Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball.
Debuting with the White Sox at Yankee Stadium in 2013, Semien wore No. 5 and made two assists in a 6-5 loss, both on grounders by Jeter, his baseball role model. Last season, after donning No. 10 for seven years, Semien finally made a play for No. 2, which was also his dad's football jersey at Cal.
Segura has worn No. 2 since his fourth season, with Arizona, in 2016. Four years earlier, as a rookie shortstop with the Angels, Segura didn't connect with Jeter by his number (20), but by his approach. Former Yankees scout Dick Groch, who signed Jeter in 1992, said Segura's quick bat and constant hustle reminded him of his greatest find.
Hoerner's ability to field deep in the hole, elevate, pivot and rifle across his body descends directly from the “Jeter Jump” throw. But even with his “Hoerner Hop” and a 162-game average WAR (4.5) nearly identical to Jeter's (4.2), calling the talented Hoerner the second coming of No. 2 is still quite a leap.

No. 2 has collected more hits than any other uniform number since the beginning of the 20th century. Even though he's sixth on the career hit list, he's not the only one with at least 1,000 hits. There are other players on that list, including Randy Winn, Denard Span, Troy Tulowitzki, and Boston's Adrian Gonzalez.

He didn't want the second spot at first. His dad wore the number 13 in college. The number was occupied by Jim Leyritz at that time. It was available because most of the single-digit numbers had been retired for famous people. According to Ian O'Connor, author of "The Captain: The Journey of Derek Jeter," it was then-Yankees manager Buck Showalter who came up with the idea of giving him a second baseman. After Showalter was fired, the equipment manager of the New York Yankees tried to give him a number. The man was not having it.

It is said that the rest is history.

Baseball players are notorious for being superstitious, but given their preference for wearing their father's number, they appear to be unaffected by supernatural interference. Many other people have done just fine with No. 13 and the dollar. Alex Rodriguez, who wore No. 13 in New York, is now a co-owner of the NBA's Minnesota Wolves. Despite carrying the unluckiest of numbers on his back, another well-compensated No. 13 is blazing a path to a Hall of Fame career.

Machado's favorite jersey, the No. 3 he wore in high school, wasn't available when Baltimore called him up in August 2012. Thanks, Ryan Flaherty. What about his childhood hero Chipper Jones' No. 10? Taken by All-Star Adam Jones. So, the O's new addition used simple addition, and added 3+10 to the roster.
When Acuna first joined the Braves in late April 2018, the number he wore in the minors, 24, belonged to catcher Kurt Suzuki. The next season, Suzuki departed to Washington, but Acuna, the 2018 NL Rookie of the Year, decided to leave his old 24 on the farm and try his luck with 13.
Muncy, who has played at least three positions in each of his six seasons, has stayed put with No. 13 since 2018. When Machado arrived in L.A. for the second half of 2019, Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen offered Muncy a “nice tip” to give Machado the number. Nice is relative; Muncy declined.
After Gallo was traded from Texas to New York last July, he didn't expect to keep No. 13 (unused in the Bronx since Alex Rodriguez's 2016 retirement). But A-Rod had been very critical of a potential Gallo deal while working as an ESPN analyst. And when Gallo arrived, that dormant number was already in his locker.
Baseball offers few sure things, even when you're the Pirates' 2015 first-round pick, their No. 2 prospect and a legacy major leaguer. But Hayes had one lock as a rookie in 2020: He'd wear 13, his only number in the minors and the one his dad, Charlie, wore most during his 14-year major league career.
Perez superstitiously wears women's perfume during games yet is cool with 13. In fact, his performance on Friday the 13th and Tuesday the 13th (traditionally unlucky in his native Venezuela) exceeds his results in all other games. Over 11 career "unlucky" dates he's batting .365 with a .908 OPS, but .265/.759 on all other dates. Spooky.

It's not the number of choice among big leaguers, but it's become more acceptable over the years. 0.4% of player seasons were accounted for by players wearing No. 13 when the numbers became embedded in the game's fabric.

The figure fell back to 0.4% in the 1950s after a brief rise in the 1940s. The usage increased each decade to the 2010s, when 1.5% of player seasons went to the bearer of No. 13.

Shortstop seems to be the position of choice for those who don't believe in anything. All four of the all-time leaders in WAR spent at least one full season as a big league infielder.

There are only three players who have posted a season of at least 8 WAR. John Valentin put up an impressive 8.3 WAR in 1995 when he was a member of the RedSox. Two of the others were posted by A-Rod, who was named the American League's Most Valuable Player in both of his seasons. Before joining the Yankees, Rodriguez had at least 8 WAR in six other seasons. Ruth's home is in the Bronx.

The most popular uniform number this season has been No. 28, with 25 players featuring it so far. 32 players wore that number last season, one more than the 31 players who wore 48. 50 is this year's leading contender to the popularity crown. There were 24 players who wore the number this season. With some of this year's division races already turning into runaways, we might end up watching this one over the second half of the season.

Arenado said his decision to wear No. 28 stems back to his first big league camp with the Rockies in 2013. Most prospects must wear higher numbers in camp, but Arenado thought getting 28 meant he'd be looked at like a veteran. All he has done since is earn five Platinum Gloves and four Silver Slugger Awards.
Olson wore No. 21 at Parkview High in Lilburn, Georgia, to honor fellow alum and Gold Glover Jeff Francouer (who sported it for the Rangers and Royals). When he was called up to Oakland in 2017, catcher Stephen Vogt had the number. So Olson chose 28, which he now wears back in Atlanta -- with Francouer broadcasting from the TV booth.
Win or lose, two-time Cy Young winner Kluber is known for his stoicism on the mound. Rising through the ranks, he approached his number with similar detachment: 44 in college, 32 and 34 in High-A, 18 and 33 in Double-A, 4 and 44 in Triple-A, 34 as a rookie. But he has stuck with 28 since earning his first major league win in 2012. Go figure.
Baez is a brand new 28. The two-time All-Star began his big league career wearing No. 9, nodding to the Cubs picking him ninth overall in 2011. He wore 23 with the Mets last year, as his number was owned by Brandon Nimmo, another 2011 first-rounder. This season, Baez signed with the Tigers but Willi Castro kept No. 9.
Red Sox designated hitter Houston gave Martinez No. 14 but released him in 2014 after three seasons. He switched to No. 28 in Detroit and went on to make four All-Star Games and win a World Series title. Did Houston realize its error? Four months after releasing Martinez, the Astros went out and drafted another 6-foot-3 outfielder named J.D. (Davis) -- and gave him No. 28.
Over more than a decade in the majors, 2015 MVP Donaldson has only ever worn jerseys in the 20s; his favorite is clearly revealed by his Twitter handle @BringerOfRain20. But Donaldson was forced to add No. 28 when he joined the Yankees this season, as 20 was retired in 2015 in honor of Jorge Posada.

It is a return to form for the No. 28 wearer. It was the most worn number during the 1990s and 2000s, but fell to 18 during the 2010s.

The mantle of the most popular number is never the same. In the 1940s, No. 17 led, followed by No. 15 in the 1950s. The reign of No. 28 began in the 70s and 80s.

There are many Gold Glove and Silver Slugger winners on the list, like Arenado, Baez, Donaldson, and Olson. Some Yankees fans believe that he could have won a Cy Young if given the chance. He won five gold gloves and five silver spades.

The foundation of the Yankees teams of the late 1990s and early 2000s was formed by a group of rising stars. He was joined by many other people. There are only 54 one-team Hall of Famers in baseball history, and Rivera and Jeter are the only two who went into the Hall in the last two years.

Some of the best young players in the American League are from the team that developed them. The number of those players who wear No. 11 is unusual, and it's likely that they'll be featured on some of the jerseys of this era.

As a 10-year old in Bani, Dominican Republic, Ramirez watched from afar as hometown hero Miguel Tejada won the 2012 AL MVP. Nine years later, wearing Tejada's No. 10, Ramirez began his two-year tear through Cleveland's farm system. When brought up to the bigs, he settled for the next-best jersey, No. 11. That's fitting -- he's actually on track to one-up Tejada.
When Bichette joined the Blue Jays in 2019, he could have chosen numbers previously worn by two veterans he highly respected, Jose Bautista (19) and Josh Donaldson (20). Instead, he picked No. 11, which his father, Dante Bichette, wore for just one season -- his first -- with the Angels in 1988.
The Dominican Republic was once renowned for elite shortstops, not third basemen. But with Devers, Ramirez and Machado at the very top of the position, we could see the makings of a new trend. And if prospects start wearing Devers' and Ramirez's No. 11, we could have the makings of a new infographic.
Polanco had an up-and-down start in Minnesota. In 2014 at age 20, he was up for five games, then sent down. In 2015, he was up four, and back down. But 69 games in 2016 constituted his last split schedule. Now nine seasons in, all in No. 11, he's the longest-tenured Twin and a locked-in starter.
The veteran outfielder has been a mainstay in the Bronx since he was 24 years old. He entered free agency after 2021, and though other teams have reportedly offered him contracts, Gardner has turned them all down in hopes of finishing his career as the Yanks' only wire-to-wire No. 11.

There is something to this idea of local talent winning at the highest level. The past 11 World Series winners have all had a WAR leader. It has been a necessity for the Yankees to have a hometown player on their title team.

The first four Yankees titles featured Ruth as their leader. The sale of Ruth to the Yankees was the most famous transaction of all time. The Yankees have won 23 titles. Most of the championship clubs have at least oneYankee atop its WAR list.

The exception were Red Ruffing and Graig Nettles, who both played for Minnesota and Cleveland. A WAR leader who made his MLB debut in a Yankees uniform was one of the 21 other post- Ruth champion. In 1998, 1999, and 2009, the role was filled by the man known as "Jethro".

The Yankees are on a record pace for victories. A first-round draft pick by the New York Yankees, Judge is a candidate for the American League Most Valuable Player award.

A new generation of stars were making their own way to the top of the MLB pecking order as they neared the end of their careers. The double-deuce has risen in importance more than any other since the advent of Jeter. The numbers in the single digits and teens have traditionally been the domain of hitters, but pitchers have dominated uniforms with numbers in the 30s and 40s. No.22 has become a mix of both. The Captain's era has seen 17 of the 18 200-strikeout seasons come from No. 22.

Kershaw wore No. 54 for one start before pinch-hitting specialist Mark Sweeney rose to the moment and gave the 20-year-old rookie No. 22. Kershaw had worn the number playing travel ball back home in Texas to honor his hero, “Rangers' Will Clark,” he clarified for Dodgers fans. “Not Giants' Will Clark.”
Brewers designated hitter McCutchen always coveted Ken Griffey Jr.'s No. 24 but was given No. 22 as a rookie. After a smashing debut season in which he finished fourth in Rookie of the Year voting, he kept 22 for the majority of the next 14 seasons. When he landed with Milwaukee in the offseason, he finally, at age 34, was able to nab The Kid's 24.
Yelich, who wore No. 21 with Miami, adopted 22 with Milwaukee and promptly became the 2018 National League MVP. After Yelich broke a kneecap late in 2019, sympathetic teammate Ryan Braun wore Yelich's 22 under his jersey and went on an MVP-like tear. Over the final 13 games Braun hit .325 with a .725 slugging percentage.
Heyward has worn No. 22 every season to honor a high school friend who died in their senior year. In 2015, Heyward's one season with the Cardinals, manager Mike Matheny gladly surrendered No. 22 (his own favorite) and was rewarded with Heyward batting .293 with 23 steals, both career highs.
Alcantara hasn't just made a name for himself in Miami, he has made a number. In the Marlins' 30-year history, 15 players have worn No. 22. The first 14 combined for a 4.9 WAR over 19 seasons; Alcantara, the current No. 22, has a 13.3 WAR with the Marlins midway through his fifth season.
Soto has worn No. 22 for all four seasons in the bigs, but he's @juansoto_25 on social media. Does he not want followers? Is he unaware of his own jersey? Did he sign up late after all the good @juansoto22s were taken? Turns out Soto joined too early, attaching his 2015 instructional league number to his handle.

While some of the decorated No. 22s of recent vintage have made their marks in the playoffs, none of them have built anything close to the resume of the man they are named after. One of the more staggering aspects of his Hall of Fame career is his playoff record.

In the playoffs, he appeared in a record 158 games, 33 more than any other player. He is the all-time leader in hits, runs, total bases and doubles in the playoffs. Volume wasn't the only thing it was. During the regular season, he had a....... When the stakes were at their highest, that figure was.838.

In October, the 22s can't match Jeter's level of play. He won the title after hitting three homers in the Fall Classic. The ring he won with the Cubs will be remembered for a long time. Which one is it? He is the all-time leader in strikeouts in the playoffs, even though his career has been full of ups and downs.

There are many reasons why No. 42 is baseball's most famous number. The man responsible for that is also the all-time WAR leader for players wearing that number, as well as the Hall of Fame pitcher. The last bearer of No. 42 is retired and this is going to stay the same. It should be that way.

In the 70s, players wore the historic number for 166 player seasons. Most of the time, it was a pitcher's number, but some non-pitchers wore it, like Greg Luzinski and Tony La Russa.

There was a player who wore 42 in Cleveland. The player was named Johnny. There is no connection.

No. 24 has seen three greats pile up more than 100 career WAR, including Barry Bonds, fourth all time, fifth-place Willie Mays and Rickey Henderson (19th). However, while Mays spent nearly his entire career making No. 24 famous, Bonds switched to No. 25 after he signed with the Giants, and Henderson switched numbers several times during his never-ending career.

104 seasons of at least 5 WAR have been posted by players while wearing No. 24. That is second only to No. 5.

Ken Griffey Jr.'s number is retired at all levels of the SeattleMariners organization. On the 50th anniversary of Robinson's major league debut, April 15, 1997, and again on the same day in 2007, Griffey switched his number to 42. Every player is required to wear 42 on his back on April 15th.

The production was put together by the Creative Studio. The words were written by the author. Brandon Loving created the illustrations. There are additional images from AP Images.

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