Former Atlanta Braves SS Andrelton Simmons announces retirement

The Curaçao native, Andrelton Simmons, anchored the SS position for the Atlanta Braves from 2012 to 2015, impressing fans with his outstanding defensive skills. However, Simmons recently announced his retirement from baseball after being drafted by the Mumbai Cobras of Baseball United in October and participating in its inaugural All-Star game.

Simmons, a defensive wizard, was drafted by the Braves in the second round in 2010, making his debut on May 30, 2012, replacing Tyler Pastornicky for the SS role. Despite a setback with a broken hand limiting him to 49 games in 2012, Simmons’ remarkable field play and unexpected contributions with the bat solidified his position as the team’s starter.

While his 2013 offensive performance didn’t match his rookie season, Simmons earned his first Gold Glove and the Platinum Glove Award for his exceptional defense. In 2014, he signed a seven-year, $58 million extension, seemingly securing his place with the Braves. However, after the 2015 season, the team opted to trade him for Erick Aybar, Chris Ellis, Sean Newcomb, and cash.

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Simmons concluded his Braves career with a .256/.304/.362 slash (85 OPS+), 98 defensive runs saved, and two Gold Glove Awards. His time with the Angels, spanning five seasons, saw a slightly improved offensive performance with a .281/.328/.394 slash (96 OPS+) and two additional Gold Gloves. Despite impressive hitting in 2017 and 2018, he never made an All-Star Game appearance with either the Braves or the Angels.

The latter part of Simmons’ career included stints with the Minnesota Twins and the Chicago Cubs. While his offensive production declined in his final two seasons, hitting 48% worse than the league average, he maintained exceptional defense with a 19 Outs Above Average (OAA).

After being released by the Cubs in August 2022, Simmons went unsigned, and despite being selected eighth overall by the Mumbai Cobras in Baseball United’s inaugural draft, it seems unlikely that he will play for the team.

Congratulations to Andrelton Simmons on an outstanding career! Before you go, here’s one more highlight featuring current Braves catcher Travis d’Arnaud.