Royals' 2-time All Star retires after 7 great seasons in Kansas City

The fact that Whit Merrifield hung around this long is remarkable.

The ninth-round pick out of South Carolina with minimal power and not a surefire defensive position was a doubtful commodity to ever reach the major leagues.

But Merrifield would star for the Royals, making a pair of All-Star Teams, then add one more All-Star berth with the Blue Jays.

He finally made his retirement official in an announcement on Tuesday.

“Hey guys,” Merrifield writes on X. “You all should know that I decided a while back to retire. When it came down to it, it was an easy decision. Many factors played a role in my decision, but the main one was a 6 pound 6 ounce gift from God my wife and I were blessed with in March of 2024. I was never talented enough to just show up and play. Baseball required my full focus and energy for me to compete at the level I wanted to, and I realize I can no longer give that effort. At this point in life, I’d much rather chase around a toddler than chase sliders.” 

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Merrifield didn't make his MLB debut until he was 27. But in that first year, he batted .283, and the stellar career was underway.

Merrifield twice led the American League in hit (192 in 2018, 206 in 2019), had a league-best 10 triples in 2019, three times led the AL in steals (34, 45, 40) and was a .286 hitter in seven seasons with the Royals.

He went on to spend two years in Toronto, including an All-Star 2023 with 27 doubles, 11 homers, 26 steals and a .272 average.

He wrapped things up by splitting 2024 between the Phillies and Braves.

Merrifield finished his MLB career with 1,249 hits and 218 stolen bases. He made about $35 million.

For a small ninth-rounder, not bad. Not bad at all.

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