Veteran catcher Francisco Cervelli, who spent 13 successful years as a Major League fixture behind the dish, announced his retirement over the weekend at the age of 34.
Cervelli, who played 16 games for the Miami Marlins in 2020 before suffering a season-ending concussion injury, hangs up the cleats after a career which saw him become a beloved face in both New York and Pittsburgh.
The Venezuela native made his Major League debut with the New York Yankees in 2008, playing sporadically in stints with the club due to his status as a part-time player as well as various injuries throughout most of his time in the Bronx. Despite his relative lack of playing time, Cervelli batted .278 and became a fan favorite due to his intensity and clutch hits.
Cervelli then moved to the Pittsburgh Pirates, where he was an integral part of the team’s playoff berth in 2015 after hitting .295 with 7 home runs as a full-time starter for the first time in his career. The affable catcher spent the next three and a half seasons in a Pirates uniform, where he continued to play well despite suffering various concussions that kept him out from time to time.
During brief stints with the Atlanta Braves and Miami Marlins in 2019 and 2020, Cervelli suffered more concussions that debilitated him and made it impossible for him to continue playing, despite producing at a high level behind the plate and in the batter’s box during limited time.
Cervelli will now turn into a fan, rooting on the Marlins as they look to continue their surprise playoff run in the NL Division Series against the Braves.
