Who would not love to replicate Derek Jeter? There is no dearth of rookies and prospects striving hard to follow the father of clutch moments. The Astros’ shortstop, Jeremy Pena, is one such follower awestruck by Jeter’s jump throw. It’s one of the most iconic images in baseball history: Jeter, deep in the hole at shortstop, twisting mid-air as he unleashes a laser across his body to first base.
And now, Pena has come up with his version of this jump throw against the Blue Jays.
The game between the Astros and Blue Jays finished with the former sweeping by 3-1. However, the moment of the day is the jump throw of Pena.
In a moment that felt straight out of a Yankee Stadium time capsule, Pena delivered a Jeter-esque gem that stopped fans in their tracks. With a Blue Jays runner testing the Astros’ defense, Pena ranged deep into the hole between short and third—his momentum taking him toward foul territory. And just like Jeter used to do, Pena took flight. Mid-air, body twisting, he unleashed a perfect jump throw across the diamond. The ball beat the runner by a step.
Clean. Crisp. Classic!
Jeremy Peña: “I love the jump throw. That’s my play. I love making that play. It doesn’t matter who’s running. I grew up watching Derek Jeter and every time we made that throw, you’d yell ‘Jeter!’ I still yell it in my head when I jump – ‘Jeter!'” pic.twitter.com/swc3ANSE4g
— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) April 23, 2025
So, was Pena trying to replicate Jeter? Well, why not? “I love the jump throw. That’s my play. I love making that play. It doesn’t matter who’s running. I grew up watching Derek Jeter, and every time we made that throw, you’d yell Jeter! I still yell it in my head when I jump – Jeter!” The lad grew up seeing Jeter’s masterclass, and now, why miss the chance to replicate the same at baseball’s biggest stage?
Well, Jeter’s jump throw is the gold standard—but plays like this show that the next generation is more than capable of carrying that legacy forward. Pena, known for his elite glove work and quick first step, just added another chapter to his growing defensive highlight reel. And in doing so, he drew instant comparisons to one of the most iconic defensive moves in baseball history.
For starters, this is not the first time Pena has tried to replicate Jeter. He tried the same jump throw in 2023 in a game against the Rangers. But that didn’t go as planned. However, this time, it’s picturesque. So, the Astros should be flying high owing to the arrival of this version of Derek Jeter.
Derek Jeter 2.0 in the making: Really?
Let’s be honest here, Pena is no Jeter, at least till now. So, it is not expected that he will lift his team single-handedly, similar to what Jeter had done with the Yankees. However, 3 homers and 8 RBIs, this season so far, speak a lot for the 27-year-old shortstop. And if not the numbers, Pena is surely pursuing Jeter in terms of offering high-leverage moments.
Remember his heroics in the 2022 ALCS Game 4 vs. the Yankees? He hit a game-tying three-run homer, shifting momentum and contributing to the Astros’ series sweep. His performance earned him the ALCS MVP, with a .333 batting average and two home runs in the series. Hence, Pena’s knack for delivering in crucial moments, both offensively and defensively, underscores his value to the Astros and cements his reputation as a clutch player. The next Derek Jeter?
However, for the Astros, things are not looking as promising as Pena. A 13-11 record till now and the third position in the AL West reflect the transition period the team is going through. Yes, the Astros’ 2025 season is unfolding like that only, marked by roster changes. The offseason saw the departure of key players like Kyle Tucker and Alex Bregman. And to fill these gaps, the Astros acquired Isaac Paredes and Christian Walker. Expectedly, it will take some time for the new lineup to get settled.
The Astros fans would just hope that Pena improves to reach the point, or at least near, Derek Jeter. Because there’s nothing better than getting a Jeter-like number from a rookie in the long term.
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