Former Mets Shortstop Jose Reyes Retires After 16 MLB Seasons

Jose Reyes, who played the bulk of his 16-year MLB career with the New York Mets, announced his retirement from the game today.

Born in the Dominican Republic, Reyes signed with the Mets as an amateur free agent in 1999 at the age of 16. Reyes would make his big league debut on June 10, 2003 - the day before his 20th birthday - and collected two hits en route to finishing 8th in NL Rookie of the Year balloting.

But Reyes would not become an everyday player until 2005 and for the next seven seasons he would be the Mets' lead off hitter. Between 2005 and 2011, Reyes was named to four NL All-Star Teams, led the league in triples four times and in stolen bases three consecutive seasons. Reyes also led the NL in hits with 204 in 2008 and won a NL batting battle in 2011 with a .337 mark.

Following the 2011 season, Reyes became a free agent and would sign a 6-year, $106 million deal with the Miami Marlins. But Reyes wasn't the same player after leaving New York. After only one season in Miami, the Marlins would deal Reyes to the Toronto Blue Jays in a 12 player deal. Reyes would spend two and a half undistinguished seasons in Toronto before being dealt to the Colorado Rockies at the trade deadline in 2015 for Troy Tulowitzki. While Reyes toiled in Denver, Tulowitzki led the Jays to their first post-season appearance in 22 years.

During the 2016 season, Reyes would return to Flushing where he would spend the remainder of his career. Reyes, 37, did not play during the 2019 season. In 1877 games, Reyes collected 2138 hits for a lifetime batting average of .283 with 145 HR and 719 RBI along with 517 stolen bases and 131 triples. While I don't think he'll get a plaque in Cooperstown, Reyes will surely be inducted into the New York Mets Hall of Fame as the greatest shortstop in the team's history.