The New York Yankees today announced that they have named Aaron Boone the 33rd manager in franchise history, signing him to a three-year contract through the 2020 season with a team option for 2021. He becomes the 18th Yankees manager to have played for the club.
Boone, 44, played 12 Major League seasons, hitting .263 (1,017-for-3,871) with 519 runs, 216 doubles, 126 home runs, 555 runs batted in and 107 stolen bases in 1,152 games as an infielder with the Cincinnati Reds (1997-2003), Yankees (2003), Cleveland Indians (2005-06), Florida Marlins (2007), Washington Nationals (2008) and Houston Astros (2009). He was named to the 2003 NL All-Star Team.
Boone helped the Yankees clinch the American League pennant in 2003, hitting a series-ending, "walk-off" home run off Boston's Tim Wakefield in the bottom of the 11th inning of Game 7 in the American League Championship Series. In 54 regular season games with the Yankees, Boone hit .254 (48-for-189) with 31 runs, 13 doubles, 6 home runs and 31 runs batted in.
"I firmly believe that Aaron possesses the attributes needed to follow in the tradition of great Yankees managers," said Yankees Managing General Partner Hal Steinbrenner. "From all accounts, he is a polished communicator who possesses the ability to cultivate and grow relationships. Aaron has also spent a lifetime immersed in baseball, affording him a unique and intimate understanding of what fosters team success.
"Aaron's name is already etched into Yankees history, and my family and I are excited to welcome him back to this franchise. This opportunity will allow him to continue to make a positive impact on this organization in distinctly new and meaningful ways."
According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Aaron will join his father, Bob, as the third father-son duo to both serve as Major League managers, following George and Dick Sisler, and Bob and Joel Skinner. Bob Boone spent parts of six seasons as a Major League skipper, first leading the Kansas City Royals from 1995-97 and then guiding the Reds from 2001-03, a stint during which he managed Aaron.
Aaron is also part of the first family in Baseball history to produce three generations of Major League players. His father, Bob, played 19 seasons from 1972-90, and his grandfather, Ray, had a 13-year playing career from 1948-60. His older brother, Bret, played 14 seasons (1992-2005), including two with Aaron on the 1997-98 Reds.
"Over the past several weeks, our baseball operations department sat down with a number of managerial candidates, all of whom brought a diverse array of baseball knowledge and experience," said Yankees Senior Vice President and General Manager Brian Cashman. "Each interview led to insightful and thoughtful discussions, and I am grateful to the candidates for their preparation, interest and commitment to our extensive interview process.
"When we had the opportunity to speak with Aaron and share concepts and ideas, he was able to showcase a variety of traits that we believe will strongly benefit this franchise as we move forward, including an astute mind for the game and a progressive approach to evolving strategies.  
"We also believe Aaron's interpersonal skills and baseball pedigree will allow him to blend well with the systems we have in place, our baseball operations staff and the 25-man roster. On a personal level, I look forward to collaborating with him over the coming years and offering him the support and resources needed to get the most out of our players."
Born in La Mesa, Calif., Boone played three seasons at the University of Southern California (1992-94), where he hit .302 with 11 home runs and 94 runs batted in, before being selected by the Reds in the third round of the 1994 First-Year Player Draft. He was acquired by the Yankees from the Reds on July 31, 2003, in exchange for left-handed pitchers Brandon Claussen and Charlie Manning and cash considerations.
Following his retirement as a player, Boone spent eight years as a broadcaster for ESPN, contributing as a studio analyst on Baseball Tonight from 2010-14 before serving as a color analyst on game broadcasts in 2015 and on Sunday Night Baseball telecasts for the 2016-17 seasons. He and his wife, Laura, live in Scottsdale, Ariz., with their four children, Jeanel, Sergot, Brandon and Bella.
"Words cannot express how humbled I am to wear the pinstripes again as the manager of the Yankees," said Boone. "I want to thank the Steinbrenner family and Brian Cashman for entrusting me with this tremendous honor and responsibility. I believe we are entering into a special time in New York Yankees history, and I am so excited to be a part of it. I can't wait to get to work - and that work starts now."
An introductory press conference will take place at 12:00 p.m. on Wednesday, December 6, at Yankee Stadium. Further media information will be provided on Tuesday.