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WASHINGTON – The playing career of Brandon Snyder, which started at the pro level in 2005, came full circle in the DMV region.
Drafted out of Westfield High in Northern Virginia by the Orioles 16 years ago, the son of a Major League pitcher played in 122 big league games for five different clubs.
Snyder, 34, was part of the Double-A Bowie Baysox when the Baltimore affiliate won its only Eastern League title in 2015.
After playing this past season for Triple-A Rochester in Washington’s system, Snyder recently announced his retirement.
“Playing in this area, coming up with the Orioles and being here, there and everywhere, and kind of finding a home here the last couple years, it’s just been such a blessing and I want to first and foremost thank all the people in Northern Virginia,” Snyder told The Washington Post, after finishing the season working as a taxi squad bullpen catcher for the Nationals.
“They have just been an unbelievable support system for me. Everywhere I go, everybody is so awesome and they’ve kept in touch and I feel very, very thankful for that. And I’m very happy to say that this is it.
“I’ve given this game everything I can as a player and I have no regrets. I’m just at a time in my life where being home with my family and moving forward ... it’s time. And I’m very happy that I’ve had this opportunity here for the last couple weeks to see what being on the staff side is like. Hopefully next year, I’ll continue to do something along those lines and see what happens going forward. But again, just want to thank everybody, especially the Nationals, that have given me a home. It’s been amazing.”
Snyder hit 23 homers for Triple-A Syracuse in the Washington system in 2017.
He played the next year at Triple-A Durham in the Tampa Bay system, then was back with the Nationals in 2019 – he hit 31 homers that year at Triple-A Fresno.
This past year, he batted .207 with 12 homers for Rochester in 65 games then spent the last few weeks of the season with the big league club.
He hit .240 with nine homers in the majors; Snyder broke in with the Orioles in 2010 and also saw time with Texas, Boston, Atlanta, and Tampa Bay.
He is the son of Brian Snyder, who went to Chantilly High in Virginia and pitched in college at Clemson before time in the majors with Seattle in 1985 and Oakland four years later.