New York Yankees: Which Numbers are Retired by the Organization?

Last week, the New York Yankees retired the No. 21 of legendary outfielder Paul O’Neill. The heart and soul of the team’s dynasty of the 90s and early 2000s, O’Neill became the 23rd player to have his number forever etched into Yankee lore. While non-baseball historians will likely be hard-pressed to recite every renowned name on that list, this article will serve as a worthwhile history lesson (you’re welcome future Jeopardy contestants). 

Below, I have compiled a table of those numbers retired by the organization in honor of the players who wore them. 

New York Yankees Retired Jersey Numbers

Fun Facts (Courtesy of YankeeNumbers.com):

• The Yankees have retired more numbers than any team in MLB history.
• While Jackie Robinson’s No. 42 was retired league-wide on April 15, 1997, those players donning the number at the time of MLB’s announcement were exempt. This allowed Hall of Fame closer, Mariano Rivera, to continue wearing No. 42 for the remainder of his Yankees career.
• Rivera was the only Yankee to have worn his retired number while still an active player.
• Six Yankees have worn their retired number in a managerial/coaching role: Whitey Ford, Don Mattingly, Yogi Berra, Billy Martin, Mickey Mantle, and Ron Guidry.