July 1, 2025: David MacKinnon, who played professional baseball across three countries for nearly a decade, has announced his retirement from the sport. The 32nd round draft pick defied odds to reach the Major Leagues with the Los Angeles Angels and starred internationally with the Seibu Lions (NPB) and Samsung Lions (KBO). He has launched ‘Pacific Swings’, a podcast about international baseball available on all major podcast platforms including YouTube and Spotify which will have weekly episodes.

A journey across continents

MacKinnon’s unique career took him from the Los Angeles Angels and Oakland A’s in Major League Baseball (MLB) to Japan’s Saitama Seibu Lions in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) and Korea’s Samsung Lions in the Korean Baseball Organization (KBO), as well as Puerto Rico’s Indios de Mayagüez. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6RIg-CHH9Q

“After a lifetime of chasing fastballs and sliders away across two continents, I’m hanging up the cleats”, MacKinnon said in his retirement announcement. “I’ve hit a couple of home-runs and made connections across several countries. Not bad for someone who was drafted in the 32nd round of the MLB draft in 2017; a round that no longer exists today.”

During his international career, MacKinnon played alongside future Hall of Famers, including Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani during his MLB tenure with the Angels. His time overseas included memorable cultural moments: hitting home-runs off Yoshinobu Yamamoto and hitting a double while wearing a King Kong suit during a KBO All-Star Game.

Notable career highlights

• Played in Major League Baseball with the Los Angeles Angels and the Athletics, making his debut on June 18, 2022 against the Seattle Mariners.
• Competed in Japan’s NPB with the Saitama Seibu Lions (2023), hitting 15 homeruns and 50 RBI’s in 127 games.
• Starred in Korea’s KBO with the Samsung Lions (2024), amassing 80 hits, 36 RBI’s and 4 homeruns in 72 games. 

‘Pacific Ocean has connected my baseball worlds’

MacKinnon will leverage his unique cross-cultural baseball experience in his post-playing career through ‘Pacific Swings’, a podcast he’s launching with journalist and filmmaker Jasper Spanjaart. The show will debut in early July and focus on bridging American and Asian baseball cultures. The show will have weekly episodes, including interviews, breakdowns and analysis on both foreign and domestic players.

“The Pacific Ocean no longer separates my baseball worlds; it connected them”, MacKinnon explained. “Now I get to share those stories through Pacific Swings. We’ll bring you inside the clubhouses, the at-bats, and the cultural bridges that make international baseball so special.”

The media platform will feature exclusive interviews with a variety of players who have competed internationally, offering insights into clubhouse culture, training methodologies, and the experience of navigating different baseball philosophies.

‘Fans made it special’

In his retirement announcement, MacKinnon expressed gratitude to his family and the organizations that supported his journey. “Firstly: my wife Jordan who encouraged me to not write this note many years ago. Thank you to my sons who have no idea that I was actually a pretty good baseball player. Thank you to my parents and brother whose daily lives revolved around baseball, so that my dream could come true. And thank you to everyone who encouraged me along the way.”

“I’ve managed to play in electric stadiums like the Belluna Dome in Saitama, which made every game feel like a play-off game.”

MacKinnon also expressed gratitude to all of the fans that made his journey such a great one. “Thank you to the fans of the Angels, A’s, Seibu Lions, Samsung Lions and the Indios de Mayagüez. I’ve managed to play in electric stadiums like the Belluna Dome in Saitama, which made every game feel like a play-off game. I loved signing every autograph after the game. The fans truly made my career special.”

What’s next?

Beyond the podcast, MacKinnon is working on a book documenting his incredible story of making it to the MLB as well as his international baseball experiences. Pacific Swings is available on all major podcast platforms starting in July 2025, including YouTube and Spotify.

“His journey from a late-round draft pick to playing in the three greatest baseball countries gives him insights that will fascinate baseball fans worldwide.”

“David brings a perspective to baseball that simply doesn’t exist elsewhere”, said co-host Jasper Spanjaart. “His journey from a late-round draft pick to playing in the three greatest baseball countries gives him insights that will fascinate baseball fans worldwide. And it also helps that he’s an honest, stand-up guy that fans around the world will love listening to.”

About David MacKinnon

David MacKinnon was drafted in the 32nd round and developed into a versatile player who thrived in diverse baseball cultures. His adaptability and perseverance enabled him to play in Major League Baseball but also to become one of the few American players to excel in both Japanese and Korean professional leagues.

About Pacific Swings

Pacific Swings is a podcast that explores the intersection of American, Japanese, and Korean professional baseball through the unique perspective of former international player David MacKinnon and journalist Jasper Spanjaart.

Interview opportunities and additional materials are available upon request.