Longtime major leaguer Martin Prado has officially called it a career, Jon Heyman of MLB Network tweets. Heyman first reported back in November that Prado was likely to retire.
Now 36 years old, the Venezuela-born Prado began his professional career when he signed with the Braves in 2001. He debuted with the Braves in 2006, and two years later, he started to establish himself as an effective big leaguer. During his Braves heyday from 2008-12, Prado slashed .296/.346/.438 with 51 home runs, 30 stolen bases and 13.2 fWAR in 2,688 plate appearances, garnering time all over the infield and in left field along the way. He also earned his lone All-Star nod (2010) during his run in Atlanta.
Although Prado was rather productive as a Brave, they dealt him to the Diamondbacks prior to the 2013 season in a large trade that sent outfielder Justin Upton to Atlanta. The Diamondbacks quickly locked up Prado to a four-year, $40MM contract, though he only lasted a little more than a season in their uniform. They sent him to the Yankees in July 2014, but his time in New York was also fleeting. After just a few months as a Yankee, they shipped him to the Marlins ahead of the 2015 campaign.
Prado found a multiyear home in Miami, where he finished his career. He was a highly productive member of the Marlins’ roster during his first two seasons with the club, earning yet another $40MM guarantee (this time for three years) in September 2016. However, thanks in part to various injuries, Prado was unable to live up to the payday. He appeared in just 195 of a possible 486 regular-season games from 2017-19, during which he struggled to a .241/.276/.313 line and totaled only five homers in 616 trips to the plate.
Although his time in the majors didn’t end with a flourish, Prado enjoyed a much better career than most. He’ll wrap it up as a lifetime .287/.335/.412 batter with 100 HRs, 40 steals and 20.8 fWAR in 5,861 PA. Prado also earned just over $89MM in MLB, according to Baseball-Reference. MLBTR congratulates Prado for his accomplishments and wishes him well in retirement.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
I’m getting old. I remember when he was a young player. Good guy and player.
First thing I thought of myself.
Happy Retirement MP! Thanks for German!
Waiting for the Giants to offer him a minor league contract
We already did. Then he re-retired as a GREAT Giant. We hadn’t done one of those in a couple years so he fit.
He was a great man and a great player
Not a great player. Total wreck in Miami.
Right. His first two years were solid. It’s not like his salary prevented the Marlins from competing.
Jesus he didn’t die
Hat tip
I guess this is Heyman’s way of saying he is a dedicated reporter, by releasing news at 1 in the morning.
Heyman’s night is just starting at 1AM. When he’s on TV you can tell the kind of night he had by the state of his hair piece. Sometimes it looks like he’s put it on sideways.
On a reporting assignment in Miami at the time, had the unenviable task to cover Jose Fernandez’s death. Despite them hurting so badly, the Marlins players particularly Martin Prado showed they were all stand up guys despite being in so much pain in the wake of this terrible tragedy. I will never forget that.
He was the best. Beloved everywhere he went. Cheers to a great career.
he had a great career he should relax and enjoy his retirement i think he would make a good coach and even a good manager
I took my nephew to a game in Atlanta and we met Prado during BP. The guy was great at being approachable so that kids would feel at ease to ask for his autograph. Nice guy, great ball player.
Happy retirement, dude!
Well deserve, solid career. I think he’d be a great coach (in the Braves system). Would love to see him doing something with international players or maybe coach rookie ball and move up the ranks.
I have always felt that if he had remained a Brave, he very well might have put together a Hall of Fame career.
Good luck Martin!
Not a snowball’s chance toastyroasty, he’ll be back in ATL with a mentorship starting role for sure. Congrats on a fine career Martin, I definitely feel older today..
One of my favorite Braves! Gritty player and good guy.
Prado was one of my very favorite Braves when he was with them.. always gave it his all.
Congrats on a good career. He was always loved in ATL.
If only Yasiel Puig acted like Martin Prado, he could be one of the best players in the game. Dudes a natural who doesn’t seem like he practices all that much
Next Stop Cooperstown
Harold Baines really lowered that bar, eh?
Solid career, above average average and on-base. Never struck out more than 85 times in a season. Solid if not unspectacular in the field. Type of guy who’s a good player to have on a squad.
pardo pulled those guys together and was a leader in the locker room. had the pleasure of meeting him and wish him nothing but a great life.
I always liked Prado. I wonder what he’ll do next
The definition of a professional baseball player. Happy retirement Martin!
One of the great guys in the game. We’ve had a couple of family interactions with him during his time with the Braves and the kids still talk about it. Congrats on a solid career. He’d make a great coach.
A pro’s pro! Loved him as a Brave.
So passes a worthy opponent.
One of the best right handed bats of all time
The greatest compliment Braves fans continue to throw around is using a particular player like Martín. We still haven’t found his replacement years later. Thanks for the years and we hope to find your Swiss Army knife-successor sometime very soon.
Loved him while with the Braves and because of Will Ohman I will forever think of him as Nitram Odarp.
Forgot all a out that! Always called him “Pardo” after Charlie Manuel flubbed his name when selecting him as an all star
Love Prado. Thanks for the great memories and all those doubles.
Martin Prado was one of my favorite Braves players. I had always hoped he’d find his way back to Atlanta. Enjoy retirement!
If he could have played the Phillies every night, he’d be in the HOF!!….Happy Retirement!!!!
This dude used to get automatic base hits whenever he fell 2 strikes down in the count. It was amazing. Really solid career he had. Would have much rather kept him at 2B all those years instead of Dan Uggla.