One of the best athletes to ever come out of Chula Vista has officially put an end to an impressive professional baseball career of a decade and a half.
Eastlake High School alumni Adrian Gonzalez, 39, took to Twitter on Saturday evening to publicly announce his goodbye to the sport that allowed him to become an international star for many years.
“I am officially announcing my retirement today,” Gonzalez stated on his Instagram. “I got to play in MLB for 15 years plus the minor leagues, Mexican summer and winter league. The Caribbean Series, the World Baseball Classic, and the Olympic games. What a blessing.”
This comes as a surprise to many people, due to the fact that Gonzalez hasn't been listed on a Major League Baseball roster since 2018 for the New York Mets. However, Gonzalez went on to play for the Mariachis of Guadalajara in the Mexican League in 2021,
The 39-year-old was the #1 overall pick in the 2000 Major League Baseball draft, which was the beginning of an impressive 15-year professional career in the majors. Gonzalez went on to play for up six different teams in the majors, including the city that saw him grow up to become a one of a kind ball player here in San Diego.
In his Instagram post, Adrian Gonzalez went on to thank all of the coaching staff members he worked with during that span of a decade and a half in the pros, as well as his loved ones who have supported him throughout his baseball career.
“Baseball thank you for all you gave me,” Gonzalez wrote. “Great teammates, coaches, memories, and most importantly friends for life. … Baseball has been in my [DNA] since I was born and it will always be a part of who I am. With this I say goodbye to my baseball playing career.”
