Former Pirates top pick reveals why he really walked away from baseball

From the Pittsburgh Pirates' perspective, Austin Meadows will always represent one of those sliding-door moments. A first-round pick who arrived in 2018 looking like a future cornerstone, Meadows flashed exactly what Pittsburgh hoped for—polished at-bats, gap power, and the kind of calm that usually belongs to veterans. An OPS+ of 114 in his debut suggested the runway was clear.

Then came the Tyler Glasnow trade, the Tampa Bay Rays’ development machine, and a reminder of just how thin the line is between potential and production. Meadows didn’t just break out in Tampa Bay; he announced himself. An All-Star in 2019. Thirty-three home runs. MVP votes. For Pirates fans, it was pride mixed with that familiar ache: we knew he was good.

The next chapters were harder to watch, especially from afar. The Detroit Tigers targeted Meadows after his 27-homer 2021 season, betting that the bat would travel. Instead, his time with the Tigers became a lesson in how invisible battles can derail even the brightest careers. COVID-19. Vertigo. Bilateral Achilles tendinitis. And most importantly, a mental health struggle that ultimately mattered more than any box score.

Former Pirates first-rounder Austin Meadows shares mental health update years after abrupt exit from baseball

Meadows’ recent Instagram message lands with particular weight in Pittsburgh, a city that has seen its share of “what could have been.” When he said, "being out of baseball is hard… living life outside of what you’ve known for 25+ years is really, really challenging,” it cut through the noise. This wasn’t spin or comeback talk. It was honesty.

That honesty reframes the story. The Pirates-lens takeaway isn’t about trades won or lost, or development paths that diverged. It’s about remembering the human being behind the prospect hype. Meadows didn’t fail. Baseball simply stopped being the most important thing in his life—and that’s okay.

For fans who once imagined an outfield anchored by Meadows for years, there’s a quiet maturity in his message now. He’s still getting help. He’s still adjusting. He’s still rooting for his brother, Parker, who now plays center field for the Tigers. And he’s encouraging others to do the same—to seek help, to accept where they are, to move forward without shame.

Pittsburgh has watched plenty of players pass through, some blossoming elsewhere, some fading out. Few have spoken as plainly as Meadows just did. Years after his abrupt exit from the game, he offered something more lasting than a highlight reel: perspective.

The bat speed, the power, the promise—those will always be part of Austin Meadows’ baseball story. But the most important update, the one that matters most, is this: he’s choosing his health. And for a former Pirate whose career once felt destined for stardom, that might be the bravest win of all.