After spending 14 years in the MLB, former All-Star catcher Russell Martin has officially announced that he’s retiring.
Martin started his career with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He then signed a contract with the New York Yankees.
Once his stint in the Bronx came to an end, Martin signed a two-year deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Eventually, he cashed out with a five-year, $82 million contract from the Toronto Blue Jays.
Over the course of his career, Martin had a .248 batting average with 191 homers and 771 RBIs. He had four All-Star Game appearances, one Silver Slugger Award and one Gold Glove.
“As you may know, I stepped away from Baseball after my 2019 season with the Dodgers,” Martin said in his retirement post. “After 14 years in the @mlb , I am officially retiring from professional baseball. Timeless memories that I will cherish forever. I had the chance to play for great organizations such as the @dodgers @yankees @pittsburghpirates and @bluejays . I want to thank everyone that has played a part in my baseball journey. My parents , friend/agent @mlb_mattcolleran , business manager Stanley , my right hand man @ivan.naccarata , all the coaches throughout my amateur and professional career, the training staffs of every team, front office staffs, my teammates, clubhouse staffs, the fans that cheered me on and the ones that booed me, everyone who works hard to ensure fans have a great experience in and out of the stadiums, journalists, the list goes on.”
Here’s the full announcement from Martin:
So, what’s next for Martin? It turns out he’ll turn in his baseball bat for a golf club.
“Now I’m excited to enter a new chapter,” Martin added. “I found a new passion in golf. That’s where I fulfill my competitive needs.”
Martin also said he plans on spending time with his family.