Derek Jeter announced via Facebook today that he will only be playing one more season of baseball before he retires and moves on to the next chapter.

Jeter made the announcement in a lengthy letter addressed to his fans and supporters, saying he actually came to the decision months ago but wanted to wait until he was absolutely sure before he confirmed the news to the world.

“Last year was a tough one for me. As I suffered through a bunch of injuries, I realized that some of the things that had always come easily to me and were always fun had started to become a struggle. The one thing I always said to myself was that when baseball started to feel more like a job, it would be time to move forward,” he wrote in the post.

Jeter was only able to play 17 games in the 2013 season due to a broken ankle. The 39-year old thanked Yankees fans for supporting and challenging him throughout his tenure on the team and says the experience has made him a better person.

“New York made me stronger, kept me more focused and made me a better, more well-rounded person. For that I will be forever grateful. I never could have imagined playing anywhere else,” he wrote.

“In the 21-plus years in which I have served as Commissioner, Major League Baseball has had no finer ambassador than Derek Jeter,” Bud Selig said in a statement. “Since his championship rookie season of 1996, Derek has represented all the best of the National Pastime on and off the field. He is one of the most accomplished and memorable players of his – or any – era.”

Image via Wikimedia Commons