Tony Wolters will no longer be catching the ball after he announced his retirement on Sunday. The former catcher will continue with the Colorado Rockies as their coaching staff.
Wolters will work with the team as a bench coach for the Arizona Complex League at the Rookie level. It has been an incredible journey for the talented player for the last 13 years, and he has nothing but gratitude and memories.
"There have been countless moments in my career that have been etched in my memory as if they happened just yesterday. Those moments will be experiences that I will never take for granted and still wonder how I became so lucky to be a part of them," he said.
Wolters' incredible journey with the Rockies
Despite playing for many teams, Wolters was noted for his performance with the Rockies more than any other team. He was drafted by the Cleveland Guardians in 2010, but the Rockies uniform has remained close to his heart since 2016.
The 31-year-old worked his way up to become one of the top left-handed hitters on the team. Wolters was considered one of the best catchers for his team. He saved 24 plus defensive runs, knocked out 65 base runners and held a 30.52 percent catch-stealing rate.
The highlight of his MLB career was helping the Rockies secure a spot in the NLDS. During the 2018 Wild Card game, he singled, allowing Trevor Story to score from third base, which helped beat the Chicago Cubs 2-1.
Over the last three years, he moved to the Twins, Cubs, Dodgers and Pirates on minor contracts. He also played 14 MLB games for the Chicago Cubs in 2021. It has been a challenging but memorable season for the former Rockies catcher, who posted on Instagram:
"Today, after 13 years of being a professional baseball player, I have made the decision to retire from the sport that gave me so many incredible experiences."
Wolters is grateful for his career and his stint with the Rockies. He could not be happier than being a coach for his favorite team. He's excited about his new career as a coach and hopes to make the best of it.