Longtime MLB infielder Jean Segura has retired, according to a social media post from his representatives at CAA. Segura last appeared in the majors in 2023 and spent time in Triple-A with the Orioles last season.
Segura had an accomplished 12-year big league run. The Dominican Republic native signed as an amateur with the Angels in 2007. He was one of the sport’s top prospects when he debuted with the Halos in July 2012. Segura played one game, then was traded to Milwaukee less than a week later as the centerpiece of the prospect package for Zack Greinke.
The Brewers immediately installed Segura as their starting shortstop. He held that role for the next three and a half seasons. His first full season was his best in Milwaukee, as he hit .294 to earn an All-Star selection. His production plummeted between 2014-15. The Brewers moved on before the ’16 season, moving him to the Diamondbacks in a deal for starter Chase Anderson and minor league second baseman Isan Díaz.
Segura only spent one season in the desert, but it was the best year of his career. He led the National League with 203 hits while posting a .319/.368/.499 line over 694 plate appearances. He set personal highs in all three slash stats. He tallied a career-high 41 doubles and hit 20 home runs for the only time. FanGraphs and Baseball Reference each credited him with over six wins above replacement.
Fantastic as Segura’s season was, his greatest impact on the Arizona organization came the following winter. They packaged him alongside Mitch Haniger to Seattle for Ketel Marte and Taijuan Walker. Marte is on track to spend over a decade with the Snakes and has become one of the best players in franchise history.
The Mariners signed Segura to a five-year, $70MM extension midway through his first season in the Pacific Northwest. He would only spend one year of that contract in Seattle, though he remained an above-average regular during his time there. He hit .300 or better in both years and slashed .302/.345/.421 in nearly 1200 plate appearances overall. He was on the move again during the 2018-19 offseason. The M’s dealt him to Philadelphia in a deal that netted J.P. Crawford.
The move worked out well for both clubs. Crawford has developed into Seattle’s long-term answer at shortstop. Segura was a solid regular over four seasons with the Phils — first at shortstop, then for three seasons at second base. He hit .281/.337/.418 in 427 games in a Philadelphia uniform. It was his second-longest run with one team, trailing his early-career stint in Milwaukee. It also afforded him the only playoff experience of his career. Segura was a regular throughout the Phils’ pennant run in 2022, though he hit .214 in 17 postseason games.
Philadelphia bought out Segura’s $17MM club option for the 2023 season. That sent him to the free agent market for the first time. He signed a two-year, $17MM contract with the Marlins to move to third base. The deal did not pan out, as he hit .219/.277/.279 across 85 games for the Fish. They traded him to the Guardians in a salary swap for Josh Bell at the ’23 deadline. Cleveland immediately released him, and Segura’s final game as a Marlin turned out to be his last in the big leagues.
While his last season didn’t go well, Segura can look back on a very good major league career. He finishes with a .281/.327/.401 batting line in more than 1400 games. He topped 1500 hits, connected on 110 home runs, and stole 211 bases. Segura drove in 513 runs and scored 737 times. He hit .300 on three occasions, made a pair of All-Star Games, and received down-ballot MVP votes for his year in Arizona. Baseball Reference calculates his lifetime earnings close to $106MM. He was a part of five notable trades, two of which remain consequential today. MLBTR congratulates Segura on his run and wishes him the best in his post-playing days.
Image courtesy of John Geliebter, Imagn Images.
Clutch Jean. I really enjoyed watching him play.
One of my favorite players. Jean Jean the hitting machine. Really good hitter. Lost his child a while ago which was awful. Enjoy retirement brother. We also got Marte cause of him.
Yeah I remember when he came back from losing his child and it basically took the wind out of his career. As it would for most people. It took him about two years to get back after that, but he did and ended up with a very nice career. Although for me he will up as one of the great “what ifs” in baseball history because I truly believe he could’ve been on the cusp of the Hall of Fame without that tragedy.
And he credited Robbie Cano who helped him the most through a difficult time. Cano was also at Jazz Chisolm’ charity this past Monday and made a sizeable donation for kids.
First ballot HOF no doubt.
Eh. Hall of Very Good.
More like Hall of Just Good
No chance
Chuck, you’re making a joke, right?
Lol yeah
Marte is the current version of Adam Jones. A good one that seattle traded away. Haniger was a ball buster for seattle for a couple of years
Too soon!
Literally. Ouch!
He was never the same after the tragic death of his child, and understandably so.
Great career, Jeans. Enjoy retirement.
Awesome career. Happy retirement!
Congrats to Segura on a great and interesting career, he’ll remain in my memories as an immaculate grid goat
Happy trails. He signed a ball for me years ago as an Angels prospect.
Dude had a great career.
I’ll never forget his big hit against the Cardinals in the 2022 playoffs. That’s when I knew the Phillies had the mojo that October. Happy trails to Mean Jean, The Hit Machine!
I didn’t even know he was still active.
The player is always the last to know.
sneakily a legendary trade tree.
Forever adored in my part of the country, loved playing always a smile on his face.
One of my favorites when he played on the Phils. Just gritty all-around and played with a ton of energy. Thanks for the moments and congrats on retirement!
I hope the Angels front office/marketing dept. sees this post: Okay so the guy played 1 game for the Angels before being traded to Milwaukee for Zack Greinke during the 2012 playoff run. He was a highly regarded prospect as I recall, and it hurt to lose him only to lose Greinke weeks later in free agency. Seeing him blossom into an all-star for other teams was painful too. So I think the Angels should sign Jean for one day, let him play in one game—maybe one inning in the field and one at-bat. Hype it with the fans! I mean really hype it. Let him be honored. Let him throw out the first pitch. Has there ever been a player begin and end his career playing 1 game with a team and being 10+ years apart before retiring? I don’t think so. I think the fans would love it. I’d give him a standing O at the park for sure. C’mon Halos, do something creative here!
I wish someone would sign Greinke to get 21Ks to get to 3000, at his late career rate all he needs is 50 innings
Wow rip
Segura was an excellent hitter; one of the few modern ball players to achieve over 200 hits in a season. But apparently, according to this writer, his most impressive feat was to spend only one year in Seattle and hit over .300 both years. I had to go back and look upon reading this because I was certain it had to be a Nick Deeds article.
One of the players that cost the Mariners Ketel Marte…..
Solid player
Acuna’s biggest opp
One of the most clutch players that I’ve seen. He absolutly crushed the Mets
“Fantastic as Segura’s season was” is NOT PROPER ENGLISH. You can’t just leave “as” out to begin the sentence. It’s not optional! Grammar is not optional when you’re being paid to write.
Segura was a big part of the 2022 World Series run and while not seared into memory like Trillo or Utley, he’ll occupy a spot like Morandini and Sammy on the Phillies roster in my mind. If I’d ever meet him I’d give him a hug…lol, tell him thanks and that he is remembered fondly….