i only guess at this game.. but it looks like a pear ...

you dont have a bradford pear in the area... do you???

though the stem reminds me of poplar ... do you get snowed on when the cottonwoods seed????

neither tree is of value in your yard...

lets see what the experts have to say ...

ken

I was afraid it might be a cottonwood. We do have those in the neighborhood. I don't want one in my yard. If someone else confirms, I'll cut it down. Thanks, Ken.

It looks an awful lot like that is what it is...both Populus (cottonwood) and Pyrus (pear) have alternate leaf arrangement and glossy leaves but the branch structure on this looks a lot like Populus.

We have lots of Populus but we have a Western ranch with lots of room and as Ken notes, a cottonwood doesn't make much sense in a typical yard/garden.

Sara

Callery pear.
If you want a tree in that location, let it grow and graft/bud it over to your choice of a good fruiting pear variety(or several varieties!). It makes a good standard rootstock for both European and Asian pears.
Otherwise, dig it up and toss it - before it becomes a big thorny thing.