Former MLB outfielder Matt Szczur announced his retirement this afternoon. The 32-year-old saw big league action in five straight seasons from 2014-18, with the bulk of that time spent with the Cubs.
Chicago selected Szczur in the fifth round of the 2010 draft out of Villanova. The righty-hitting outfielder was named a Top 100 prospect by Baseball America two years later and made his MLB debut in August 2014. Sczcur spent the next few seasons as a part-time player with the Cubs, tallying 200 plate appearances of .259/.312/.400 hitting for the World Series-winning team in 2016.
The Padres acquired him in a minor trade the following May, and he’d remain in San Diego for the next season and a half. Szczur tallied a career-high 237 trips to the plate over 119 games in 2017 but was limited to 57 games the following year. He’s bounced around the league via minors deals the past few years, including a 30-game stint with the Cardinals’ top affiliate last season. The New Jersey native didn’t get back to the majors, though, and his playing career came to an end when he was released by St. Louis in June.
Szczur moves on from baseball owner of a .231/.312/.355 career line with 12 home runs over 667 plate appearances. He played parts of ten seasons in the minors and hit .273/.332/.401 over five years at Triple-A. Interestingly, he noted as part of his announcement (the full extent of which can be found via Twitter thread) that he’s embarking on a career as an artist. “Baseball is and always will be a part of me, but it’s time to trade in my bat for a brush. I’m looking forward to being a husband, father, family member, and friend.” MLBTR congratulates Szczur on his playing days and wishes him the best in his next endeavors.
Solid utility player and part of that great 2016 Cubs team.
Cngrczulczns on a successful career.
How is his last name pronounced?
Or spelled properly?
Can’t spell suc without szczcur.
Hail Szczur!
He was one of those scrappy guys that I always rooted for. Does some very interesting artwork too. Best of luck to him in his future endeavors.
Italian Mike Fontenot
What a fantastic human being he is. Delayed a pro sports career to donate bone marrow if I recall correctly and saved the life of a complete stranger. Got to speak to him briefly when he was on the Iowa Cubs. Solid defender….good arm, good wheels….and again ..a great person.
I used to work for the Peoria Chiefs, who were the Cubs Single-A Affiliate when Matt was there. Matt was always the first to volunteer to visit the Children’s Hospital. He’s a stand up guy.
You’ve got the next scrappy Augie Ojeda guy right there, Nicky Madrigal. .260/.280/.300 x 7. Bank it!
I liked his response on not being included on the World Series roster.
I get a great seat for every game and I get paid for being on the bench. How can I loose?
Was that how can I stay loose , or how can I lose ?
And his seat was a stool. But it would sometimes get wobbly. A loose stool, as it were.
Retired when hi play
Anthony Rizzo used Matt’s bat, I think it was in the World Series.
Joc Pederson did the same. He got hot with his Rizzos bat then shortly after the pearl trend started.
I’ve always liked players superstitions. Last year (2020) Rizzo wore Mike Napolis chains. For about a week and half he was Tony 2Chains. There’s even a shirt for it.
Good for you kid. I hope you can afford to buy a vowel.
Any other Mets fans take a quick glance at this and thought it said “Max Scherzer” announces retirement? Double takes were to follow…
Heart attack
Only if these Met fans were awfully day drunk.
Hail and farewell!
Probably the greatest player in MLB history with a last name starting with four consonants.
Mike Schmidt would probably disagree.
Good call BigFred.
The greatest player in MLB history with a last name starting with four consonants who didn’t cry like a little boy when announcing his retirement?
Curt Schilling was a little better than Matt.
SCHI-lling, yup starts with 4 consonants, S, C, H and I…holy schit that doesn’t sound right.
Every time a pedant is wrong, an angel gets its wings
Those Schil shills are not very good with their edumacation.
Or he is becoming a house painter
Happy retirement, Matt!
P.S. Bryan Holaday also retired the other day
Sounds like an interesting person.
As a 32 year old who has made a few mil, Szczur is in a pretty enviable place as an artist. Best of luck with the easel, mars black, & pallette.
I love the smell of turpentine in the morning…
All that huffing turpentine explains many things…
Always try to keep the studio well ventilated. Especially since I now have the time/space/patience to work in oil.
But – yeah – it might.
Bob Tewksbury was a good artist as well. My wife saw his paintings being displayed in a Concord NH Law Office on one of her business trips.
Huh.
Looks like Tewksbury sells prints of his paintings. Portraits of baseball players seem to be his forte. Can’t find a price though.
Hope the portraits of said baseball players aren’t done from the locker room. Cause that would be ewww
Tewksbury the guy with the afro who does paint by number lessons on public television?
Yeah…although there would probably be a market. That Polish hammer guy might like those. I think he’s hitting on me. Which is actually understandable as I am tremendously good looking.
& that was American Icon Bob Ross (“happy little trees”) ya cretin.
Who?
Yeah, he wasn’t a guy making $25mil a year playing in NYY pinstripes so you wouldn’t have heard of him. Just a national champion and All American in football who also played some in the show and won a World Championship.
Speaking of painting: you sure are using quite a broad paintbrush, PolishGuy.
(Guess what hand gesture I’m using)
Should I feel creeped out this Cuckin’ Flown is working his hand to thoughts of me? Cringey!
Aww, don’t get all hot & bothered, bud.
I guess I will make it clear for you: I was flipping your little post off. The meaning of a raised middle finger is the same in Poland as it is here. Fyi.
Sorry to let you down, bud.
Thanks, Ducky.
Crickey!
Shoot, we’re Yankee fans.
You know how it is: screw everybody but us.
Sure, Yanks fans, aka obnoxious idiots that say things like “screw everybody” because every other fan base hates you.
They don’t hate nobody’s, bud.
But gosh, you sure gave me the business. You’re a genuine: Real Edgy Online Dude. Have a good one, bud.
Crickey flowns!
He was also a FCS All American. WR. My daughter went to Villanova and I saw him play a couple times Usually the best player on the field. They won championship when he was a junior iirc.
Wow that’s more information than MLBTR bargained for. Thank you Szczurs mom, aunt and sista
Seems you had a bad night. Did your wife left you for a younger guy yesterday?
Always had a soft spot for the guy just because of his great name, big bonus that he was also fun to watch and apparently a very interesting guy. Good on him!
He earned enough to buy a vowel: then called it quits.
Render unto Szczur the things that are Szczur’s…
It’s nice that a local Cape May/Villanova guy made it to the bigs. Good luck in retirement, Matt!
An interesting side note on Matt ,he donated one of his kidneys to a random little girl who was a match.
Correction- it was bone marrow. Still a solid dude
The procedure hurts like hell for the donor (but its nothing compared to what the recipient is going through and it can be an absolute lifesaver). Nice job, Matt Szczur
Surprised he didn’t go to Japan. Maybe not enough power. That would of helped out his art as well. I was thinking this guy was Matt Murton for some reason. Another cub that made a splash
Wish him the best and hope he take the coaching path back to the bigs if he wants to stay in the loop…
Really liked that dude..he was a hard nosed hustler. God Bless in your future endeavors Matt.
Are you guys going to announce every fringe player retirement? Seems to me your talents and resources could be put to use in better ways.
Ruh roh. You prolly just riled up the Szczur goony mob. Don’t get his mom aunt and cousin Fred all lathered up.