Ex-Cardinals 1-Year-Wonder Announces Retirement After 16 MLB Seasons

One former member of the St. Louis Cardinals is hanging up his cleats.

Unfortunately, St. Louis only employed Jason Heyward for one season back in 2015, but what a year it was. Overall, Heyward played 16 big league seasons with the Atlanta Braves, Cardinals, Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers, Houston Astros and the San Diego Padres. On Friday, Heyward took to Instagram to announce his retirement from Major League Baseball.

"After 31 years, 16 Major League Seasons," Heyward wrote on Instagram. "I’d like to take one last time to show LOVE to the game of BASEBALL as a player. You’ve taken me around the world. Given me something to dream of and work towards as a kid and a professional. You’ve shown me the value of sacrifice, support, family, friends, competition, winning, respect, growth and many other lessons along the way."

You can read Heyward's entire message right here.

The former Cardinals outfielder is retiring

Apr 29, 2025; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres left fielder Jason Heyward (22) celebrates after hitting a double during the fourth inning against the San Francisco Giants at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images | Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

Heyward joined the Cardinals for the 2015 season after he spent the first five seasons of his career as a member of the Braves. St. Louis traded Shelby Miller and Tyrell Jenkins to the Braves for Heyward and hurler Jordan Walden. While Heyward only spent one season in St. Louis, it was a phenomenal year. In fact, he actually set his career high in WAR with 7.0 in 2015 with St. Louis.

His closest season was his rookie year in 2010 with Atlanta at 6.4. That year in St. Louis, Heyward slashed .293/.359/.439 with 13 homers, 60 RBIs, 23 stolen bases, 33 doubles, four triples and 79 runs scored in 154 games played. He also won a Gold Glove Award and finished 15th in the National League Most Valuable Player Award voting.

It was the highest batting average of his career, by far. The next-closest season for Heyward was in 2010 when he hit .277 with Atlanta.

Unfortunately, his time in St. Louis was short-lived. Heyward left after the 2015 in free agency to sign an eight-year, $184 million mega deal to join the Chicago Cubs. Now, all of these years later, Heyward is hanging up his cleats and calling it a career. Overall, he racked up five Gold Glove Awards, one All-Star appearance and one World Series win throughout his career. He was a .255 hitter who was dominant defensively out in the outfield. What a career it was. If only, it could've lasted more than one season in St. Louis, though.