It’s unclear if Mike Flacco will now follow in his brother’s footsteps and pursue a career in football, but the 26-year-old’s baseball career has come to an end.
Flacco — brother of Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco — decided to retire from baseball rather than accept an assignment to the Red Sox’ Single-A affiliate in Salem (Va.), according to reports.
Flacco, who was drafted by the Orioles in 2009, was traded to the Red Sox during spring training for cash considerations. It was a minor move for the Sox, who were looking to add some organizational first-base depth, but it was interesting given his brother’s football history against the New England Patriots.
Flacco never played about the Double-A level while bouncing around Baltimore’s minor league system. He spent most of his 2012 season with High-A Frederick of the Carolina League, and hit .218 with eight home runs and 35 RBIs in 103 games.
There had been talk in the past that Flacco would consider pursuing a football career, although the Orioles later denied such plans. Now that he’s done with baseball, however, perhaps we’ll see him hit the gridiron in the near future.
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