South Carolina baseball fans celebrated the life and career of Jackie Bradley, Jr. a couple of weeks ago after Jon Heyman reported that the Gamecock legend was expected to retire.
On Monday, the 11-year MLB veteran denied the report that he was hanging up his cleats.
FYI pic.twitter.com/CH9fWE5BMV
— Jackie Bradley Jr. (@JackieBradleyJr) December 4, 2023
Bradley, Jr. did not close the door on a potential retirement, but he made it clear that he has not retired yet.
Seemingly, the 2018 ALCS MVP desires to continue his playing career. After 8 years with the Boston Red Sox, he spent the next three seasons splitting time between the Milwaukee Brewers, Toronto Blue Jays, Kansas City Royals, and a return to the Boston Red Sox.
Bradley, Jr. is one of the best defensive centerfielders of his generation. He won the 2018 Gold Glove but would have won more had he not shared an American League with fellow generational defensive outfielders like Kevin Keirmaier, Byron Buxton, and Adam Jones.
A one-time All-Star (2016), Bradley had one of the strongest arms in all of baseball. Routinely, he would take a baseball during batting practice and throw the ball from behind home plate over the center field wall, well over 400 feet in the air.
He is one of just four South Carolina baseball alums to hit 100 home runs in their Major League Baseball career. Bradley (109) joins Justin Smoak (196), Dave Hollis (112), and Christian Walker (121; still active) as former USC players who have knocked the ball over the fence at least 100 times in their Big League careers. That number could soon be five, however, as Bradley, Jr.’s college teammate Whit Merrifield has 90 career long balls and is still active.
If Bradley decides not to retire, his defensive acumen should allow for him to find a home somewhere in Major League Baseball.
But if this, indeed, is the end of Jackie Bradley, Jr.’s professional career, he will go down as one of the best-ever Gamecocks, both at the college level and in the professional ranks.