The New York Yankees might not have an official team captain when they compete in the 2015 MLB season after veteran shortstop and former team captain Derek Jeter officially retired after last season.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said that if he is given the authority to decide, he will not name a new captain, saying that it will be hard to find a player who can replicate the leadership shown by Jeter over the past several years in New York.

"I think Derek did it as well as anyone can," Cashman said in an interview with ESPN New York. "He wore it well, and I'm not a big advocate of giving out the captaincy anyway. I'm not going to recommend anyone being named captain of the New York Yankees right away."

Jeter spent his entire 20-year major league career with the Yankees and served as the 15th team captain of the franchise for 11 seasons. His No. 2 jersey is expected to be retired in the near future. And for Cashman, the Yankees captaincy should be retired along with Jeter's jersey number.

"That is not disrespectful of any of the guys I have here that have a lot of leadership," Cashman said of not naming a player to succeed Jeter as team captain. "As far as I'm concerned, and I'm not the decision-maker on this, that captaincy should be retired with No. 2. I wouldn't give up another captain title to anybody else."

Like Cashman, Yankees manager Joe Girardi also does not see the need to name a team captain for the upcoming season. He pointed out that there are several players on their roster who could lead the squad even without the official tag of team captain.

"I didn't think we needed a captain this year, and I think guys need to lead," Girardi added. "I don't think you necessarily have to have a captain to have leaders. I don't think you have to have a 'C' on your chest to be a leader."

Several candidates are reportedly being considered if the ownership group decides to name a new captain, including Brian McCann, Mark Teixeira, Chase Headley and Brett Gardner. Alex Rodriguez, who will return after serving a one-year ban for his involvement in the Biogenesis scandal, is also reportedly in consideration.

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