White Sox left-handed reliever Fraser Ellard has retired from baseball at age 28, the team announced when it placed him on the voluntary retired list on November 18.
Ellard made the decision to prioritize his growing family, with he and his wife Amy expecting their first child, a boy, in February 2026.
Career with the White Sox
Ellard appeared in 43 games over parts of two seasons with Chicago, posting a 3.95 ERA with 48 strikeouts in 41 innings. The southpaw had established himself as a reliable middle reliever in the White Sox bullpen.
The White Sox selected Ellard in the eighth round of the 2021 MLB Draft out of Liberty University.
Reason for Retirement
In a conversation with MLB.com, Ellard explained his decision came after reflecting on his priorities during a mission trip to the Dominican Republic in October.
"I was so blessed to be able to get a chance to play with the White Sox," Ellard told MLB.com. "I realized that I really want to be around for my kid. I want to wake up when he wakes up. I want to put him to bed and have that stability."
Ellard, who turned 28 on November 6, is the 10th of 12 children in his family.
"At the end of the day, if I say my priorities are God first and then my family second and community and deep meaningful relationships third, where does baseball fall in that?" Ellard said.
General Manager's Response
White Sox general manager Chris Getz, who knew Ellard from his time as director of player development when the pitcher was drafted, received the news shortly after Ellard decided. Getz asked Ellard to take a week before officially signing the papers, but respected the thought that went into the decision.
"I thanked him," Getz said. "I let him know I enjoyed getting to know him and he was a very strong reputation within our organization and that if he needs anything in the future, we are here for him and wished him well."
Future Plans
Ellard serves as Chief Operating Officer for Dodeka, a digital marketing company he co-founded with his brother Weaver. His responsibilities include creative work and building websites.
While Ellard has not completely ruled out a return to baseball in the future, he expressed interest in potentially getting involved at the local level to help young players.