Retired slugger Mark Teixeira joins ESPN as a baseball analyst

Mark Teixeira will go from sending "Tex messages" to breaking down film, as the retired slugger is joining ESPN as a baseball analyst, the network announced on Tuesday.

Teixeira, 36, retired after playing 14 seasons in the majors with four different teams, most recently with the New York Yankees. In New York,his home runs were called "Tex messages" by radio play-by-play announcer John Sterling.

"I couldn't be more excited to begin this next chapter of my baseball career with ESPN," Teixeira said in a statement. "I'm looking forward to being a part of their all-star rotation of commentators and to share my perspective with the fans."

A five-time Gold Glove winner at first base, the switch-hitting Teixeira batted .268 for his career and hit 409 homers while driving in 1,298 runs.

Teixeira's best season came in 2009, his first year with the Yankees, when he hit .292 with 39 homers and 122 RBIs and finished second in American League MVP voting.

His retirement came at the conclusion of his eight-year, $180 million contract with New York.

Teixeira served as a guest host on ESPN Radio's Mike & Mike in 2014.