This is easily one of the craziest sports stories of 2020.
A failed Yankees prospect who never got anywhere out of High-A ball claimed in a lawsuit against the Bronx Bombers that the club actually conspired to keep him from reaching the majors — all “to protect the career of Derek Jeter.”
Seriously.
From NJ.com:
“In the lawsuit, dismissed by a judge in May, Garrison Lassiter used letters, newspaper clippings and scouting reports to weave a strange tale of conspiracy that he said was launched against him “to protect the career of Derek Jeter.” He alleged that it was “blantanly (sic) obvious” that Jeter controlled the Yankees organization, and he insisted Yankees employees libeled and slandered him to other teams, preventing him from reaching the major leagues.
The reason? “To protect the career of Derek Jeter.”
Lassiter, who acted as his own attorney after putting himself through law school, said he is broke and has had to sleep in his car, having gone through the $675,000 signing bonus the Yankees gave him in 2008. According to the lawsuit, Lassiter, now 30, sued the Yankees because he wanted to get what he deserved “for the interference and lost years” of his pro career.
“I cannot get on the field due to the New York Yankees trying to control my career,” he wrote in all caps to several major league teams, looking for deals that never came. “I’m the only Baseball Player that will stand up to the New York Yankees,” he added in the final page of the document, which was filed in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina.”
Lassiter, who has a career .244 hitter with four home runs and 73 runs batted in over five seasons, is suing the Yankees for $34 million.
If you’ve forgotten, Jeter is a 14-time All-Star, five-time World Series champion, five-time Gold Glover, cementing himself as one of the greatest to ever play the game and wear the pinstripes.
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Lassiter filed in federal court in North Carolina in December 2018 only to be dismissed by a judge in May 2019.
