ALISO VIEJO, Calif. - Earlier this month, Cal State Dominguez Hills alum
Kevin Pillar announced his retirement from Major League Baseball after a 13-year career.
Pillar was drafted out of CSUDH by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 32nd round of the 2011 amateur draft and made his debut two years later in 2013. He would spend the first seven years of his career in Toronto, where he became known as one of the game's best defensive outfielders. He also hit .260 with 156 doubles, 55 home runs, 231 runs batted in, 303 runs scored, and 69 stolen bases. In 2015, Pillar batted .278 with 12 home runs, 56 RBI, and 25 stolen bases to help the Blue Jays win the AL East pennant for the first time in 22 seasons. That season, he was named Wilson's Defensive Player of the Year in center field.
The West Hills, Calif., native would play for nine more MLB teams before announcing his retirement on July 2, 2025. His best season came with the San Francisco Giants in 2019 when he hit .264 with 37 doubles, 21 home runs, 87 RBI, and 14 steals. He earned the Giants' Willie Mac Award, given to the team's most inspirational player, and received votes as the National League's Most Valuable Player.
Pillar would go on to play for the Red Sox, Rockies, Mets, Dodgers, Braves, White Sox, Angels, and Rangers between 2020 and 2025. He finished his career with a .255 batting average, 245 doubles, 114 home runs, 469 RBI, 111 stolen bases, and a WAR of 16.1.
The
2024 CCAA Hall of Fame inductee still owns the NCAA Division II record with a 54-game hitting streak. Pillar played four seasons in Carson (2008-11), setting the school record with a .367 career batting average. He earned All-CCAA, All-West Region, and All-American honors during his tenure. Pillar capped off his senior season and collegiate career by being selected for a Rawlings/ABCA National Gold Glove Award. He graduated from Cal State Dominguez Hills in 2011 after majoring in Mathematics and Business.
"You will always be our Superman," the Blue Jays said
in a congratulatory social media post.