Seven months after officially putting a close to his playing career, Albert Pujols will have a new role in the sport and league in which he made a name for himself.

On June 5, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred announced that the league has named Pujols as a special assistant to the Commissioner.

In his newest role, he will consult with the MLB on a range of topics, including player relations and challenges facing his native, Dominican Republic. As part of his role, Pujols will also serve as an on-air analyst for MLB Network, appearing across the network’s programming. 

“Albert is a highly respected figure who represents the game extraordinarily well. He cares greatly about making a difference in our communities,” Commissioner Manfred said of Pujols. 

“We are excited for Albert to join other former players who are doing important work for our sport, and we will welcome his perspective across our efforts,” he continued. 

Originally from the Dominican Republic, the first baseman established himself as among the league’s most prolific hitters of all-time.

Now 43, Pujols retired after the 2022 season. Over his 22-year career, he won two World Series titles with the St. Louis Cardinals, was named to 11 All-Star selections, won three NL MVP Awards, two Gold Glove Awards, and achieved a multitude of other accolades. 

During his final season, he became just the fourth player in MLB history to reach at least 700 career home runs, and is the only foreign-born player to be a part of the elusive list. 

His career numbers include ranking fourth all-time in home runs (703), second all-time in both RBIs (2,218) and total bases (6,211), and 9th all-time in hits (3,384).

With the numbers he’s amassed throughout his long career, Pujols is likely to become a first-ballot Hall of Famer once he becomes eligible. 

While officially saying “goodbye” to his playing days, Pujols “couldn’t be more excited for this next chapter” of his career as a special assistant to the Commissioner.

“Commissioner Manfred and I share the same passion for growing the game in the Dominican Republic and I look forward to seeing what we can accomplish together,” he said in a statement.

Pujols joins a small, but growing group of Latino former MLB players named to various capacities across the league upon their retirement. The list includes the likes of Raul Ibañez, Senior Vice President for On-Field Operations; Joe Martinez, Vice President for On-Field Strategy; Grégor Blanco of the MLB’s Baseball Operations Department; and others. 

In addition to this latest position as special assistant to the Commissioner, Pujols is also a special assistant to the Los Angeles Angels. The role is part of a 10-year personal services contract he signed as part of the original 10-year deal he signed with the team as a free-agent player in 2012. 

Pujols debuted on MLB Central on Tuesday, June 6 and appeared on MLB Tonight on Wednesday, June 7. He will also contribute to MLB Network’s June 23 on-site coverage of MLB’s London Series, featuring the Cardinals and the Chicago Cubs.