Matt Beaty Announces Retirement from Professional Baseball

Matt Beaty, former Major League Baseball player and Belmont University All-American, officially announced his retirement from professional baseball on August 25, 2026. Beaty, 33, played in 305 MLB games for teams including the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants, and Kansas City Royals.

Beaty's career began after being drafted by the Dodgers in the 12th round of the 2015 MLB Draft. He debuted in the major leagues on April 30, 2019, becoming the first Belmont player to do so since 1978. During his rookie season, he hit .265 with nine home runs and 46 RBIs, contributing to the Dodgers winning the National League West Division Title.

He also played in 15 postseason games over three years with the Dodgers, including the 2020 World Series championship team that defeated the Tampa Bay Rays in six games, as reported by BelmontBruins.com. However, his time with the Padres in 2022 was hampered by a shoulder injury, after hitting .093 in 20 games before being designated for assignment.

In a personal statement on Instagram, Beaty reflected on the challenges of leaving a sport that had been a significant part of his life. "It's been almost two years since my last at-bat in baseball," he wrote. "The time since then has been filled with questions and back-and-forth.

Should I keep playing? Is there another opportunity out there? Or is it finally time to close this chapter?"

He added, "You spend your entire life devoting time, effort and sacrifice to a game. You make choices and give up opportunities because baseball doesn't always allow you to experience life the way everyone else does. When something has been such a huge part of your life for so long, walking away is hard.

Deep down, I think I knew my last game was my last game. I just held onto the hope that it wouldn't be."

Beaty was traded to the Padres from the Dodgers in March 2022 in exchange for prospect River Ryan, who has since emerged as a top pitching prospect. Padres president of baseball operations AJ Preller later acknowledged that the team might have benefited from retaining Ryan longer.

After his stint with the Padres, Beaty spent time with the Royals and Giants organizations in 2023, playing 30 MLB games with a .230 batting average. He also played in the minor leagues for the Arizona Diamondbacks organization in 2024 before his release that September.

Beaty's collegiate career at Belmont was distinguished, earning All-American honors and holding multiple career records in hits, doubles, triples, home runs, at-bats, RBI, on-base percentage, and walks. He now assists with the Royals' rookie ball team in Surprise, Arizona, transitioning into a new role within baseball.