Former MLB outfielder Matt Szczur announced his retirement this afternoon. The 32-year-old saw big league action in five straight seasons from 2014-18, with the bulk of that time spent with the Cubs.
Chicago selected Szczur in the fifth round of the 2010 draft out of Villanova. The righty-hitting outfielder was named a Top 100 prospect by Baseball America two years later and made his MLB debut in August 2014. Sczcur spent the next few seasons as a part-time player with the Cubs, tallying 200 plate appearances of .259/.312/.400 hitting for the World Series-winning team in 2016.
The Padres acquired him in a minor trade the following May, and he’d remain in San Diego for the next season and a half. Szczur tallied a career-high 237 trips to the plate over 119 games in 2017 but was limited to 57 games the following year. He’s bounced around the league via minors deals the past few years, including a 30-game stint with the Cardinals’ top affiliate last season. The New Jersey native didn’t get back to the majors, though, and his playing career came to an end when he was released by St. Louis in June.
Szczur moves on from baseball owner of a .231/.312/.355 career line with 12 home runs over 667 plate appearances. He played parts of ten seasons in the minors and hit .273/.332/.401 over five years at Triple-A. Interestingly, he noted as part of his announcement (the full extent of which can be found via Twitter thread) that he’s embarking on a career as an artist. “Baseball is and always will be a part of me, but it’s time to trade in my bat for a brush. I’m looking forward to being a husband, father, family member, and friend.” MLBTR congratulates Szczur on his playing days and wishes him the best in his next endeavors.