Tyler Wade is calling it a career after nine big-league seasons.
The utilityman announced his retirement on Instagram yesterday, bringing an end to a run that took him through the Yankees, Angels, Athletics and Padres. He also spent this past season in the Rangers organization.
Wade’s path to the majors started when the Yankees selected him in the fourth round of the 2013 draft. He climbed through the system and reached the big leagues for a short stint in 2017, then spent the next four seasons moving on and off New York’s roster.
His best stretch came in 2021, when he got into a career-high 103 games. Wade hit .268 and swiped 17 bases that year while working as a semi-regular for the Yankees.
After that season, New York moved on. Wade was designated for assignment and dealt to the Angels, where he struggled before being traded back to the Yankees later that same season. He didn’t appear in the majors after returning to New York, and eventually moved on to the Athletics and Padres.
The 31-year-old signed a minor league deal with Texas this winter, but his time in the organization was brief. He put up a 53 wRC+ in 16 games at Triple-A Round Rock, and the Rangers released him in mid-April.
At the plate, Wade never did much damage, finishing his big-league career with a 65 wRC+. But he brought speed and defensive flexibility, stealing 51 bases in 992 plate appearances and playing every position except catcher and first base. He was viewed as a solid defender around the diamond for most of his career, though his glove faded late.
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