Even at 3 years old, Trey Mancini knew where his happiness lay. It was with his father throwing pitches to him until the night lights hit. That very practice on the white-sand beaches of Florida, he knew this was his passion. He knew it when he hit the ball out beyond the left-field fence and saw his mom and sisters waving and smiling at him with pride. He then transformed into a senior who batted .480 as a senior in high school, and even though he didn’t get into his dream school, the University of Florida, Florida State, or Miami, he knew he had it in him. His major league career shows that, too.
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Sure, he was nervous when he got to the majors, but he knew he belonged, and during his very second at-bat, he smashed a home run. And much like his old days, his mom was there in the stands of Oriole Park at Camden Yards, pride explicit in her eyes. It is this career he announced he is drawing a curtain on on August 18. And with that announcement, something special has tagged on.
“Hey Birdland, this is Trey Mancini. I look forward to seeing you all at the Yard on September 19, when I retire as an Oriole. Can’t wait,” the Orioles shared Mancini’s message via X. “Trey Mancini is officially retiring as an Oriole. Join us at The Yard on Saturday, September 19, to celebrate his retirement!
“Fans can purchase a special ticket package that includes a game ticket and a limited-edition “F16HT” hat. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to The Trey Mancini Foundation.”
The Orioles drafted Mancini in the eighth round of the 2013 MLB Draft out of the University of Notre Dame. It took him another three years to make his MLB debut in 2016 against the Boston Red Sox. The 34-year-old quickly left an impression, hitting seven homers in his first 12 games. That made him the third player since 1913 to reach that mark. What is more, over the course of the next three seasons in Baltimore, he was part of a crucial rebuild. In fact, in his first four years in Baltimore, he had already hit 86 home runs.
Even the clubhouse realized his potential early, presenting him with a team-friendly $23 million extension after his second season. Mancini declined the offer, choosing instead to trust his ability and bet on what he could earn in the future.
His stint with the Orioles continued until 2021, after which he went to the Astros.
In between, Mancini enjoyed a glorious journey in Baltimore. In 2017, against the Pirates, he blasted a dramatic two-run home run to right-center field to tie the game at 6-6. He followed it up in the 11th inning by hitting a three-run walk-off home run to win the game 9-6. Then, in 2022, Mancini hit an inside-the-park home run with a runner on base against the Tampa Bay Rays. Ironically, that game proved to be his last with the Orioles.
With Mancini’s reported itinerary now revealed, he will sign a one-day contract with the Orioles on September 19 before the team takes on the Brewers at 4:05 p.m. ET. Moreover, the team also plans to pay homage to the first baseman’s battle with colon cancer in 2020. Mancini was diagnosed with Stage III colon cancer in March 2020, forcing him to miss the entire season. After completing his chemotherapy treatments, he returned to MLB the following year and won the AL Comeback Player of the Year Award in 2021.
The Orioles also launched special “#F16HT” T-shirts in support of Mancini’s battle, with all net proceeds benefiting the Colorectal Cancer Alliance. The campaign raised more than $80,000, with nearly 5,000 shirts sold to fans across North America.
On September 19, the Orioles introduced a special ticket package that will include a game ticket and an “F16HT” cap. This time, the proceeds will also be donated to The Trey Mancini Foundation.
Mancini spent the remainder of the 2022 season with the Astros after being traded by the Orioles in August, helping Houston win the World Series. However, his .176 batting average during his stint with the Astros was not enough for the team to exercise his option for the 2023 season. He subsequently joined the Cubs in 2023, but after being released in August, he spent time in the minor leagues with the Cincinnati Reds and Miami Marlins in 2024, and with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2025.
However, Mancini finally got another MLB opportunity in 2026, signing with the Los Angeles Angels and making his return to the majors after nearly three years away.
He played 5 games with the Angels early this season and went 4-for-13 (.308) before he was designated for assignment on June 17. Finally, on August 18, Trey Mancini announced his retirement from professional baseball.
“I am blessed to have made a home in the Orioles organization for 10 years, win a World Series in Houston, play for the Cubs in Chicago (I wish I played better for you guys), and make it back up to the MLB with the Angels,” Mancini wrote while also thanking the Reds, Marlins and Diamondbacks as well.
A name that not only delivered some of MLB’s most memorable moments on the field but also conquered a much tougher battle off it deserves a celebratory farewell. And on September 19, a packed Camden Yards will make that a reality.