In the third book in the New York Times bestselling middle grade series inspired by the life of iconic New York Yankee Derek Jeter, Derek’s father keeps his promise to coach his son’s youth baseball team.

Derek is sure this will be the best season yet! He has it all planned–his dad will have him start at shortstop, and the team will cruise to a championship. But sometimes life doesn’t go according to plan. Change Up focuses on a key life lesson of Derek Jeter’s Turn 2 Foundation–Deal with Growing Pains–in the series companion to Hit & Miss and The Contract, about which The Wall Street Journal said, “the play by play action is exciting and the lessons many.”

The second middle grade book in the New York Times bestselling Jeter Publishing imprint, Hit & Miss is a baseball novel inspired by the youth of legendary sports icon and role model Derek Jeter.

“Just try to make solid contact, stay level and in control. Positive thoughts only, right?”

That’s the advice Derek’s father gives him about batting–and a lot more. It seems that Little League season is here. Throughout the long Michigan winter, Derek thought that Opening Day might never come. Now at last he can pursue his dream of one day playing shortstop for the New York Yankees.

As luck would have it, he’s on the Red Sox this year, and they seem to have more talent than the Tigers, the team he was on when last season ended in disappointment. His best friend, Vijay, is with him again, and Derek gets the same number–13!–that his father wore in college. Now if the new kid with the chauffeur turns out to be a player, well, the Red Sox might just win it all.

But as Derek finds out, both baseball and life are hard. Before the season is over, he’ll break out of a slump, bring his teammates closer together, learn a new sport, solve the mystery of why his sister Sharlee seems so quiet, and suffer the consequences for violating “The Contract” he had signed with his parents. Before he can move closer to his dream, there are many lessons to be learned.

The debut book in the New York Times bestselling Contract series, The Contract is a middle grade baseball novel inspired by the youth of legendary sports icon and role model Derek Jeter.

As a young boy, Derek Jeter dreams of being the shortstop for the New York Yankees. He even imagines himself in the World Series. So when Derek is chosen for the Little League Tigers, he hopes to play shortstop. But on the day of the assignments, Derek Starts at second base. Still, he tries his best while he wishes and dreams of that shortstop spot. And to help him stay focused on school, his parents make him a contract: keep up the grades or no baseball. Derek makes sure he always plays his best game–on and off the baseball field!

Derek Jeter has played Major League Baseball for the New York Yankees for twenty seasons and is a five-time World Series Champion. He is a true legend in professional sports and a role model for young people both on the field and through his Turn 2 Foundation.

Inspired by Derek Jeter’s childhood, The Contract is the first book in Derek Jeter’s middle grade baseball series, an important part of the Jeter Publishing program, which will encompass adult nonfiction titles, children’s picture books, middle grade fiction, Ready-to-Read children’s books, and children’s nonfiction. For more about Jeter Publishing visit JeterPublishing.com.