VIDEO: Active Minor League Home Run Leader Cody Decker Rips Walk-Off Blast Then Retires
By Scott Rogust
Many athletes dream of ways in which they can retire on top. During Friday night's Reno Aces-Sacramento River Cats game, Minor League Baseball veteran Cody Decker played hero. Down 9-8 in the bottom of the ninth inning, Decker hit a two-run bomb to win the game for the Aces. That would be the final at-bat of the slugger's career, as he's officially retiring in a press conference this coming Monday.
Cody Decker, the active minor-league home run leader, hit a walk-off homer. That was his last at-bat, as he then announced his retirement. What an amazing way to go out of the game. pic.twitter.com/vktq19lJ2h
— Max Wildstein (@MaxWildstein) July 7, 2019
Decker was a 22nd-round pick for the San Diego Padres in the 2009 MLB Draft, and only saw big league action for a few weeks in 2015. Other than that, Decker was a mainstay in the minors, where he became a legend.
The 32-year-old utility player was the active pro home run leader with 204 (Mike Hessman holds the all time mark with 433), while also recording 645 RBI, and even an impressive 3.54 ERA in nine pitching appearances.
Reno. Words cannot express my gratitude for these last 2 seasons. Thank you for embracing my nonsense, @Aces! pic.twitter.com/2bPYg7D2jw
— Cody Decker (@Decker6) July 6, 2019
After 11 years playing the game he loves, Cody Decker officially retired a hero for the Reno Aces. That's a special cherry on top of a very satisfying career.