Cubs Legend Frank Schwindel Retires, Joins Rutgers Coaching Staff

From the ashes of the Cubs’ World Series team rose an unlikely phoenix named Frank Schwindel, a 29-year-old rookie first baseman who came to Chicago after being DFA’d by the A’s in mid-July of 2021. When Anthony Rizzo was traded to the Yankees on July 29, the Cubs had an opening at first base. Enter Schwindel, who went on to slash .342/.389/.613 with 13 homers in 239 plate appearances down the stretch. That’s 12 more dingers than he’d hit previously and five more than he’d hit over the rest of his brief career.

He played briefly for the Águilas Cibaeñas in the Dominican Winter League, then joined the Orix Buffaloes in Japan for a disappointing run that saw him slash .188/.186/.275 with one homer. Schwindel spent some time with the independent Long Island Ducks before a stint with Estrellas Orientales in the DWL, then bounced between Union Laguna and Saltillo of the Mexican league this season.

Now 33 and with professional opportunities becoming less fulfilling both financially and performance-wise, Schwindel has decided to hang up his cleats. He’s remaining in the game, though, joining Rutgers University as director of player personnel. Schwindel grew up in Livingston, NJ, just about 25 miles north of the school’s campus in Piscataway.

It’s kind of wild to think about how Chicago became the Schwindy City for two months at the end of what had been an otherwise depressing season. They say if you can’t be with the ones you love, you need to love the ones you’re with. For Cubs fans, that meant embracing a corner infield of Schwindel and Patrick Wisdom after other heroes had been traded away.

Was that really just four years ago? Feels like at least a decade. Even though his career may not have played out the way he’d imagined, Schwindel will always have that incredible ’21 run. And now that Rizzo is back in the fold with the Cubs in the postseason once again, it feels like we’ve come full circle.

Best of luck on the new gig, Frank, and know I’ll gladly buy you a beer if our paths ever cross.