In 2011, Vinnie Catricala was the best player in the Mariners minor league system – two years later the Sacramento, California native is retiring from baseball.

“I am just moving on (with my life) and actually one month into the Sacramento Police Academy,” said Catricala on Monday night. “I am really excited about the police department and my future.”

It has been a rough 16 months since earning Mariners Minor League Player of the Year honors in 2011.

Catricala batted .349 with a .421 on-base percentage that included 25 home runs, 48 doubles and 106 RBIs during the 2011 season combined between High-A High Desert and Double-A Jackson. After moving up from High Desert, he batted .347 for the Generals in 62 games to close out the year. He actually finished against better competition in and posted a higher slugging percentage of .632 in Double-A.

I remember a road trip to Mobile in August, 2011 and Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik paying a visit while on the east coast. The first thing I heard Zduriencik say was that he came to see this Vincent Catricala. He made an impact.

In 2012, things began to go downhill. Catricala batted just .229 for Triple-A Tacoma in 122 games and posted just a .348 slugging percentage. He hit 10 home runs and drove in 60 runs, but had an on-base percentage under .300.

Catricala was demoted to Jackson beginning 2013 and his struggles continued as he hit just .253 with 3 home runs and 21 RBIs in 48 games. He was designated for assignment on June 2^nd. The Oakland Athletics snagged him off of waivers and assigned him to Double-A Midland. He hit just .229 the rest of the season and had an infamous one-pitch strikeout.

Catricala was then designated for assignment by Oakland at the end of the season, but cleared waivers. The Milwaukee Brewers selected him in the Rule 5 draft this past December and he probably would have begun the season with Triple-A Nashville had he not chosen retirement.

Catricala played a total of 110 games in Jackson in 2011 and 2013.

We should wish him well.