After more than a decade in professional baseball, veteran reliever Mike Mayers has officially brought his playing career to an end. The 32-year-old right-hander, who spent time with the St. Louis Cardinals, Los Angeles Angels, and Kansas City Royals, announced his retirement Wednesday in a heartfelt post on LinkedIn.
“After 12 incredible years in professional baseball, including parts of 8 seasons in the big leagues with the Cardinals, Angels, and Royals, I’m officially hanging up the cleats,” Mayers wrote.
Mayers’ career featured a mix of challenges and highlights. He bounced between the majors and minors with the Cardinals from 2016 to 2019 before finding success with the Angels. During the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, he emerged as a bullpen anchor, leading the team in appearances and posting an impressive 2.10 ERA.
His final big-league stint came in 2023 with Kansas City. In 2024, he pitched for the Toronto Blue Jays’ Triple-A affiliate, but after being released in August and not signing with a team in 2025, Mayers decided it was time to move on.
Originally selected by the Cardinals in the third round of the 2013 MLB Draft out of Ole Miss, Mayers retires with a 12-11 record and a 5.21 ERA across 219 MLB appearances. While not always in the spotlight, he earned the respect of teammates and coaches alike for his professionalism and perseverance.
As he turns the page to life after baseball, fans and former teammates alike wish Mayers all the best in his next chapter.
