WASHINGTON, DC – JUNE 04: Drew Ellis #35 of the Philadelphia Phillies gestures as he runs the bases after hitting a home run against the Washington Nationals during the seventh inning at Nationals Park on June 04, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Jess Rapfogel/Getty Images)
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The Philadelphia Phillies have seen many notable players pass through their organization and even more journeymen spend short stints with the team over the years.
Now the team has received a surprising update on one former infielder, who ended his career at age 30 in the middle of the season.
Philadelphia Phillies’ Former Infielder Drew Ellis Announces His Retirement After Cut From Major Leagues
Drew Ellis, who played for the Phillies during the 2023 season, announced his retirement on his Instagram page last week.
“What an unbelievable journey it’s been the last 20 years,” Ellis wrote. “I’ve created so many memories and friendships during my playing career and I will be forever grateful for the opportunities I’ve been given. It’s mind blowing that a little ball with some seams on it can take you to places you’d never thought you’d go.”
After a career at the University of Louisville, Ellis was drafted in the second round by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2017 and he made his major-league debut for the franchise four years later.
The next year, in 2022, he was designated for assignment and the Seattle Mariners claimed him off of waivers. He made just a single big-league appearance with the Mariners and was released just before Opening Day in 2023.
Philadelphia Phillies Cut Infielder Drew Ellis To Make Room For Key Pitcher Orion Kerkering’s Debut
Ellis signed a minor-league deal with the Phillies immediately afterward and spent time in Double-A and Triple-A for the franchise before getting a big-league callup. Ellis slashed .217/.379/.478 in 12 games for the Phillies in 2023, including a two-homer performance against the Washington Nationals, but was designated for assignment late in the season so the team could make room for promising reliever Orion Kerkering ahead of a playoff run.
Ellis elected free agency after that season and left Major League Baseball altogether before returning with the San Francisco Giants last year. He reached Triple-A once again before returning to free agency.
The timing of Ellis’ announcement, in the middle of a season in which he was evidently not playing for an affiliated or unaffiliated league, suggests he has come to terms with a lack of intriguing options for this season and beyond. But given his success across the minor leagues and his varied big-league experience, it seems the former Phillies infielder could continue his career around the game in one capacity or another if he’d like.
In the meantime, Ellis wanted to make sure that those who helped his playing career along the way knew he was grateful.
“To my teammates and coaches,” he wrote in the announcement. “You guys made this game incredibly fun to play. You guys were the reason I showed up every day. Thank you for the lifetime of memories and incredible relationships we’ve built.”