Longtime MLB catcher Francisco Cervelli is retiring from baseball, he announced on Instagram. Cervelli said he is hanging up his spikes because it's time to "put my health before my career." The 34-year-old had seven documented concussions throughout his career, including one that ended his 2020 season in August.
Here is Cervelli's retirement announcement:
"Today, I retire happy and fully satisfied, because I gave my heart and soul to this wonderful game," Cervelli wrote. "I am retiring because the time has come to put my health before my career. For a long time, I put baseball first, through countless concussions and injuries, because this game was my life; my whole world. But it's clear to me now that my future holds so much more. For the first time in a long time, I know my health and wellness needs to be the leadoff. It's time."
Cervelli originally signed with the Yankees as a 16-year-old international free agent out of Venezuela in 2003. An infielder as an amateur, he moved behind the plate in pro ball and reached the big leagues in 2008. Cervelli spent 2008-14 with New York, mostly as a backup catcher, before moving on to the Pirates (2015-19), Braves (2019), and Marlins (2020).
Pittsburgh gave Cervelli his first extended opportunity as a starting catcher and he blossomed, hitting .270/.368/.384 with 25 home runs in 416 games from 2015-18. He also rated well as a pitch-framer and became a fan favorite thanks to his high-energy, hard-nosed style of play. Cervelli was released in Aug. 2019 after the Pirates committed to Jacob Stallings behind the plate.
Cervelli took a foul tip to the face mask on Aug. 22 this year and was diagnosed with a concussion. He landed on the injured list 15 times in parts of 13 seasons. Cervelli retires as a career .268/.358/.382 hitter with 605 hits and 41 home runs in 730 games. He won a World Series ring with the 2009 Yankees and banked nearly $40 million in player contracts during his career.
