![Adrian Beltre playing the field. [image source: Keith Allison- Wikimedia Commons]](https://staticr1.blastingcdn.com/media/photogallery/2018/11/20/660x290/b_502x220x82/adrian-beltre-playing-the-field-image-source-keith-allison-wikimedia-commons_2148205.jpg "Adrian Beltre playing the field. [image source: Keith Allison- Wikimedia Commons]")
Everyone knew that either Adrian Beltre would play one more season with the Rangers or he would retire. Earlier today, Beltre announced that he will be retiring from baseball and hanging up his cleats for good. Beltre may not be a name that comes to mind when talking about the greatest ballplayers but his stats prove that he was a great player at the major league level. Beltre also brought laughs to many people's faces who watched him play due to his humorous in-game antics that many people found funny and entertaining.
About Adrian Beltre
Adrian Beltre was born on April 7, 1998, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
He was discovered by professional scouts at a major league facility in 1994 which was one of the first facilities ever made in the Dominican Republic.
Beltre's baseball career
Beltre was signed by the Dodgers at the age of 15 and only weighing 130 pounds for just $23,000.
Before Beltre reached the major leagues, he spent three seasons in the minors. Excluding the five games he played in the minors in 2001 and two games he played in 2011, Beltre put up a slash line of .304/.395/.554 with 65 home runs and 259 RBIs. Over those three years, Beltre hit 72 doubles and swiped 52 bags.
Beltre's major league debut came in 1998 where he appeared in 72 games but slashed a measly .215/.278/.369. His second year in the major leagues though was much better as he appeared in all but 10 games and slashed .275/.352/.428 with 148 hits.
He got the exact same amount of hits in his third season as well but slashed a better .290/.360/.475.
His best season came in 2004 where he slashed a career-high .334/.388/.629 with a career-high 48 home runs and 121 RBIs. That was also the only season where he reached the 200 hit mark as he got exactly 200 hits and he only struck out 87 times.
Beltre is the fifth major league player to hit at least 100 home runs with three different teams. Beltre is also one of four players to hit for the cycle at least four times in his career with three of those coming at Globe Life Park and is the second player in Major League Baseball history to hit for the cycle and hit three home runs in a game in the same week.
In 11 068 games spent with the Dodgers, Mariners, Red Sox and Rangers, Beltre slashed .286/.339/.480 with 477 home runs and 1707 RBIs. He also got 3166 hits which is the most by any foreign player to play in the major leagues and is currently the only player from the Dominican Republic to reach the 3000 hit plateau.
