After 19 professional seasons and 2,073 career games, Alfredo Amézaga is hanging up his cleats. He’ll make his coaching debut with the Double-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves in an unspecified role, the team announced on Wednesday.
This news comes almost precisely one year to the day of Amézaga’s final game with Tomateros de Culiacan in the Mexican Pacific Winter League. He had been playing exclusively in his native country since the 2013-14 MLB offseason. The charismatic utility man turns 41 later this month.
You remember Amézaga, right? There were other stints with the Angels, Rockies and Pirates, but only the Marlins were willing to give him a significant major league opportunity.