Catcher Casey Opitz retires suddenly at age 28

Casey Opitz, a 28-year-old catcher for the Chicago Cubs, announced his retirement from baseball days after playing in a doubleheader for the Iowa Cubs on July 25. Opitz, who spent six years in the Cubs organization, played a total of 273 minor league games, finishing with a.202 batting average. He faced limited playing time this season, appearing in 14 games for Iowa, where he recorded nine hits in 44 at-bats. After his college career, Opitz was drafted twice by the Cubs, first in 2017 and again in 2021. His final season in professional baseball included stints at various minor league levels, but he struggled to secure consistent playing time and ended his career with declining performance statistics.

• 11:26 PMYahoo Sports — Cubs’ 6-year veteran suddenly retires at 28