Veteran outfielder Jon Jay, best known as starting center fielder for St. Louis Cardinals during their 2011 World Series run, is retiring from baseball. Jay announced his retirement via a social post on Wednesday.
Jay walks away after spending 12 seasons in MLB and suiting up for seven different franchises, including the Cardinals, the San Diego Padres, and the Chicago White Sox. He most recently spent time with the Los Angeles Angels, with whom he played five games in the 2021 season.
“It is surreal to me that I played Major League Baseball,” Jay wrote in a statement posted on Instagram. “As I officially retire from the game that changed my life, I want to thank everyone who has played a role in getting me here.”
“Baseball, you will forever be in my heart,” he added.
Jon Jay was the Cardinals’ second-round pick in the 2006 MLB Draft. He made his majors debut in 2010 and spent six years with St. Louis. Neither of his later stints with other franchises lasted more than a season.
Jay will retire with a .283 batting average, 37 home runs, and 341 RBIs. In addition, his .996 career fielding percentage stands as the highest in the modern baseball era for a center fielder.
