An outcome that has been known since Derek Jeter's name first hit the ballot became official on Tuesday when the Yankees legend was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in near-unanimous fashion.
Jeter received 99.7 percent of the vote, meaning only one BBWAA writer didn't check off his box. That's closer than Ken Griffey Jr. who, despite being a sure first-ballot Hall of Famer, had all but three votes in 2016.
Jeter wasn't alone on the BBWAA ballot, with Larry Walker -- who was teetering on the cusp of that 75 percent vote leading up to the announcement -- joining him.
The 45-year-old Jeter, who retired after the 2014 season and is now CEO and part owner of the Marlins, will be inducted on July 26 in Cooperstown, NY.
"When we drafted Derek Jeter with the sixth pick in the 1992 draft, he had obvious physical talent, however what truly set him apart and put him on the path to Cooperstown was his burning desire to win and a personal drive to be the very best player he could be," Yankees GM Brian Cashman said in an official press release. "From the outset, he played the game the right way, and his confidence was contagious. So often it felt that he would not be denied, and that belief rubbed off on his teammates, leading to so many victories over so many years. He provided countless memories for our fans, and it's clear how much he will always mean to them. Thanks to Derek, we reached the pinnacle of the baseball world five times, and he will forever be a defining player of his generation."
Mariano Rivera, who remains the only unanimous inductee into the Hall, can't wait to celebrate Jeter's day with him.
"It's going to be a very special day standing next to Derek in Cooperstown this summer," Rivera said. "He had such a deep desire to win, and that singular commitment to his team is what made him so special."
During his 20-year-career, Jeter slashed .310/.377/.440 with 3,465 hits (No. 6 in history) -- including 260 homers and 544 doubles as he helped lead the Yanks to five World Series titles (1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, and 2009).
While his regular season numbers were tremendous, Jeter's postseason prowess often overshadows what he did -- although his regular season and postseason numbers are pretty similar.
In 158 postseason games, Jeter hit .308/.374/.465 with 20 homers and won the World Series MVP in 2000. That included a .321/.384/.449 triple slash in 38 World Series games spanning seven series (1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2009).
Jeter's regular season accomplishments included winning Rookie of the Year in 1996, being elected to 14 All-Star games, winning four Silver Slugger awards, and finishing in the top 10 in MVP voting eight times.
The Captain took his place in Monument Park at Yankee Stadium in 2017. In six months, he'll be taking his place in Cooperstown.