Veteran Jay Bruce announces his retirement from baseball

New York Yankees first baseman Jay Bruce has announced his retirement at the age of 34.|Art or Photo Credit: AP

Jay Bruce, a veteran of 14 Major League seasons, announced that he will retire from baseball following the Yankees' game on Sunday.

"All I ever wanted to be 'when I grew up' was a baseball player," Bruce said in a statement, "and to say that I got to live out my dream would be the understatement of a lifetime. This sport gave me more than I ever could've asked for."

Drafted by the Reds in the first round in 2005, Bruce, 34, was a three-time All-Star who hit 319 home runs for six teams. He started on Opening Day this season for the Yankees, for whom he hit .118 with one home run.