CLEVELAND — Former Cleveland Indians second baseman Jason Kipnis announced his retirement from baseball on Monday afternoon after a 10-year career.
Kipnis, who spent nine years with the Indians, took to Twitter to show his gratitude for Cleveland fans saying, "To Cleveland, thank you for being you. I was lucky to be drafted by you. I always wanted my play to echo the city's attitude every time I took the field. There were ups and downs of my career sure, but the one thing I never wanted you to question was how hard I played for the name on the front. I tried to make you proud every game. You guys gave me the chance to live out my dream and I'll never forget some of the amazing moments we shared together!"
Throughout his time in a Cleveland uniform, Kipnis endeared himself to the city and his peers' earning the name "Dirtbag" for his passionate play that often saw his jersey stained with dirt and mud giving maximum effort on the field. Not often you hear someone called "Dirtbag" in an affectionate tone.
Kipnis was drafted in the second round (63rd overall) in the 2009 Major League Baseball draft. It was a meteoric rise for Kip as he torched every level of minor league baseball on his path to the majors, which came during the 2011 season.
During his time with Cleveland, Kipnis made two All-Star teams in 2013 and 2015. He was also a key piece in the 2016 World Series run slugging a career high 23 home runs helping Cleveland come with in one game of their first World Series since 1948.
Kipnis finished his major league career playing for his hometown, and childhood favorite, Chicago Cubs in the pandemic shortened 2020 season. Kipnis ends his career after slashing .260/.333/.416, 126 home runs, 136 stolen bases and a 21.3 WAR.
Editor's note: The video above is from Jason Kipnis' return to Cleveland as a member of the Chicago Cubs in 2020.