Sean Burroughs, an infielder with the 2011 Arizona Diamondbacks squad that won the National League West, died at 43 years old.
Burroughs collapsed while coaching his son’s little league game in Long Beach, California, on Thursday. Long Beach Little League president Doug Wittman said in a statement Burroughs “tragically passed away” and that “To say this is a huge loss is an understatement.”
“The D-backs mourn the passing of Sean Burroughs and offer our condolences to his family and friends,” the Diamondbacks said in a social media post. “Sean was a member of the 2011 NL West champion team and beloved by his teammates, coaches, staff and fans. Rest in peace, Sean.”
Burroughs played 78 games for the D-backs, completing a comeback in baseball after stepping away from the game. He had not played in the majors since 2006 and told ESPN he struggled with substance abuse before finding his footing back in the sport.
He contributed a .273/.289/.336 slash line with a home run and four doubles, plus he only made one error in 132 innings at third base. The D-backs put him on the postseason roster, and he went 1-for-3 in the NLDS against the Brewers.
Before his days with the D-backs, Burroughs won back-to-back Little League Baseball World Series while growing up in Long Beach. He was the first American-born player to throw back-to-back no-hitters in the LLBWS.
The San Diego Padres made him a first-round pick in 1998 out of high school, and before his MLB debut, he won a gold medal at the 2000 Summer Olympic Games for Team USA in Sydney, Australia.
“We at USA Baseball are heartbroken to hear of the tragic passing of Sean,” USA Baseball executive director/CEO Paul Seiler said in a statement. “Sean was a part of one of our most beloved teams, and he represented our country on and off the field in a first-class manner. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Burroughs family during this time.”
The left-handed hitter debuted with the Padres in 2002 at 21 years old.
Burroughs spent parts of four seasons in San Diego before a trade to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays after the 2005 campaign. He played 528 MLB games for his career and was a lifetime .282 hitter.
His father, Jeff, played 16 years in MLB and won the 1974 AL MVP with the Texas Rangers.
