Major League Baseball

MLB Catcher J.P. Arencibia Announces Retirement

Updated Mar. 5, 2020 1:09 a.m. ET

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Fansided, Nick Fustor/FanSided via Call to the Pen

Former MLB catcher J.P. Arencibia announced his retirement from Major League Baseball after playing in parts of six seasons.

Just a few seasons ago, J.P. Arencibia was among the league’s most dangerous power threats at the catcher position. But after two solid seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2011 and 2012, Arencibia’s inability to make consistent contact and penchant for strikeouts left him as an enigma stuck meddling in the minors leagues.

Now at 31 and after playing in parts of six major league seasons, Arencibia announced his retirement from MLB.

Arencibia joked in his retirement letter to fans on Twitter, writing, “I really never could take a walk in my career but this will be my biggest walk yet, I’m walking away from baseball.”

Arencibia last played in the big leagues in 2015 for the Tampa Bay Rays, where he showed flashes of greatness in 24 games with the team. Last season, Arencibia played just 12 games with the Philadelphia Phillies’ Triple-A affiliate, the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs.

The catcher will be remembered for his time in Toronto, when he slashed .225/.279/.437 with 41 home runs from 2011-12. Pitchers figured out Arencibia’s weaknesses in 2013, however, as he hit just .194/.227/.365 – though he did manage to hit 21 homers.  He finished 2013 with 148 strikeouts and just 18 walks – and his career-high in walks came in 2011 when he drew 36.

A season later, Arencibia was picked up by the Texas Rangers and saw his average drop even further (.177) while he managed to hit 10 home runs in 63 games. His solid stint with Tampa Bay in 2015 led the Phillies to sign him in 2016, but it became clear this past offseason that Arencibia likely wouldn’t receive another meaningful stint in the big leagues.

Arencibia made a splash in his first career game with Toronto, as he belted a first-pitch home run in his first career major league at-bat.  He went 4-for-5 in the game, eventually hitting another home run.

In 467 career games, Arencibia managed to hit 80 home runs while driving in 245 RBI and walking 85 times.

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CttP wishes Arencibia the best of luck in his future endeavors.

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