Career Paths for Baseball Players After Professional Sports

By Guest
Updated: March 19, 2020

written by Maggie Potter

The average career length for an MLB player is just 5.6 years. While many players can have longer careers, it’s not uncommon for a minor league or major league player to either retire or leave the game due to injury at a relatively young age.

While the MLB does provide a pension plan that includes a monthly income and other benefits, some players may want to choose a different career path until they reach a more “standard” retirement age.

Plenty of retired baseball players have made the switch to regular careers, including big names like Randy Johnson, who is now a photographer and in college for photojournalism. World Series champion Darryl Strawberry is now an ordained minister. Even homerun heavy hitter Mark McGwire is a bench coach for the San Diego Padres.

For some players, having to leave a sport they dedicated their lives to can be devastating and have a negative psychological impact. Finding a job after retiring or leaving can help to combat some of those issues and help players to find purpose and meaning again. If you’re a player or know someone who is, and you’re considering retirement, keep these career suggestions in mind to make the transition easier.

Going Back to School

Maybe you played college ball, or maybe you were recruited just out of high school. No matter what, one way to stay committed to a career change is to get the right education and training you need for a new path. If you’re thinking that there’s no way you can choose a completely different career path after playing baseball, think again. After all, even Michael Jordan completely switched careers after his retirement!

Going back to school can help you to sharpen skills that you may have already gained by playing baseball. Professional athletes need certain attributes to be successful, including:

A strong work ethic
An ability to adapt
Time management skills
Concentration
Stress management
Self-confidence

Those are skills that could be great in a variety of different workplace settings, including higher education administration. As the dean of a school, for example, you have to be a natural leader with the ability to implement policies. A baseball career can give you the skills and confidence to perform those duties successfully.

You might also venture into the business world with your studies, where those same attributes can help you to find success, especially in sales where confidence and competitiveness are hugely important.

Natural Transitions That Focus On Your Interests

Playing baseball is often demanding. Spending several months out of the year with a game each day, touring the country, being away from family — it’s all difficult, and though you get to live out your dream, it’s not easy to have a strong work-life balance as an athlete.

So choosing to retire or leaving the game due to an injury can give you more time to spend with the people you love, but it doesn’t automatically mean you’ve lost your love for the game. That’s why many ballplayers choose careers that seem to be a natural “next step” from the game itself. For example, many players have written books either about their own lives or about different aspects of the game.

Other former players have become announcers on major sports networks for the game. Some have even used their success to switch to the business side of baseball. A strong example of that is Derek Jeter, who is a part-owner and CEO of the Miami Marlins and has been since 2017.

If you did have to leave the game due to an injury, a career in helping others with their pain or trying to find better solutions when athletes get injured might also seem like a natural fit. Since CBD products are becoming more popular, you might consider the connection between baseball (and the aches and pains that go with it), and what CBD oil can do for chronic pain.

These natural transitions are great ways to combine business and baseball, allowing you to continue to do something you’re passionate about while having a more stable schedule to achieve a better balance within your life.

Entering the Working World

Whether you were a minor-leaguer for years or made it to the Big Show, it’s important to find something to occupy yourself and bring you fulfillment once your baseball career is over. Whether that means taking a turn toward a completely different career or choosing something within the sports industry, make sure you’re prepared for a different sort of working world than waking up for practice each day.

Your career as a player might get you notoriety, but depending on the career path you choose as you move forward, you’ll need to focus on making connections, highlighting your skills, and educating yourself enough to have a resume and cover letter than stand out. While you should absolutely include your time as a player in your cover letter since providing general experience is important, you can’t always ride on your success as an athlete when you’re changing industries.

There is no “ideal” career path for a baseball player once you’ve left the world of professional sports. The sky’s the limit when it comes to what you can do. But you may need a bit more education, training, and job skills to completely change directions. Keep that in mind if you’re considering retirement, and you can make the transition into the working world look as effortless as a walk-off homer.