Fourteen time All-Star Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez, who caught in more games than any other Major League Baseball player, will retire on Monday, the Texas Rangers said on Thursday.
Rodriguez, 40, has scheduled a news conference for Arlington, Texas, where he began his 21-year career with the Rangers in 1991 as a 19-year-old.
He will be honored at an on-the-field ceremony before the Rangers' game with the New York Yankees and will throw out the ceremonial first pitch.
The Puerto Rican-born catcher last played in the Major Leagues in 2011 with the Washington Nationals.
Rodriguez, known for his strong arm, defense and power hitting, caught 2,427 games with the Rangers, Florida Marlins, Detroit Tigers, Yankees, Houston Astros and the Nationals.
He batted .300 or better 10 of his 19 seasons and ended his career with a .296 average and 311 home runs.
Rodriguez was the 1999 American League Most Valuable Player with the Rangers and the 2003 National League Championship Series MVP with the Marlins.
He won a World Series with the Marlins in 2003.
(Reporting By Gene Cherry in Salvo; editing by Julian Linden)
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