Former MLB Player Sean Burroughs Cause of Death Uncovered
Former major league infielder Sean Burroughs passed away in May due to a fentanyl overdose, as reported by TMZ, citing the Los Angeles County medical examiner. The official cause of death was listed as fentanyl intoxication, and the death was ruled accidental.
Sean Burroughs, the No. 9 overall pick in the 1998 MLB Draft, died at 43 years old after being found unresponsive in a Long Beach, California parking lot. He had just dropped off his 6-year-old son at a Little League game. Burroughs was pronounced dead at the scene.
In a 2011 interview with ESPN, Burroughs openly discussed his struggles with addiction. “I was hanging out with some bad people and had done some bad things,” he said. “That was more important my last couple of years playing ball, and the last few years.” He added, “I was kind of like a garbage can. Whatever I had or needed, I would find and take it. I wasn’t an out-on-the-town type of guy. I would just try to fill myself with as much substances as I could, legally or illegally.”
At the time of his passing, Burroughs was coaching his son’s team. His mother, Debbie, initially told the Orange County Register that his death was due to cardiac arrest.
Sean Burroughs had a storied career in baseball from a young age. He helped the Long Beach All-Star team win back-to-back Little League World Series titles in 1992 and 1993, starring as both a pitcher and hitter. He threw consecutive no-hitters in the Little League World Series, earning an appearance on “The Late Show With David Letterman” in 1993.
Burroughs, the son of 1974 American League MVP Jeff Burroughs, was selected ninth overall by the Padres and spent seven seasons in the major leagues, with stints in San Diego, Tampa Bay, Arizona, and Minnesota. His MLB debut came in 2002, and in four seasons with San Diego, he hit .282 with 11 home runs. He also won an Olympic gold medal for Team USA during the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia.
The Long Beach Little League, where Burroughs was coaching, shared a heartfelt statement following his death. “Sean was a legend in LBLL and the baseball community for winning back-to-back Little League World Series Championships for LBLL in 1992 and 1993,” the statement read. “To say this is a huge loss is an understatement. We will have his family in our thoughts and prayers during this time and try to end the season playing the kind of baseball Coach Sean would be proud of.”
Burroughs’ professional career saw him spend four of his seven MLB seasons with the Padres from 2002 to 2005. He then had one-year stints with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays (2006), Arizona Diamondbacks (2011), and Minnesota Twins. He finished his MLB career with a .278 average, 12 home runs, and 143 RBIs in 1,664 career at-bats.
Despite his professional success, Burroughs faced significant personal challenges. He battled alcohol and drug problems, which he openly discussed in interviews. In a 2011 interview with ESPN, he revealed that he had spent part of his time away from baseball living in cheap motels in Las Vegas and eating out of trash cans. This period of substance abuse lasted until he decided to turn his life around.
Burroughs moved back into his childhood home, adhering to house rules, and worked himself back into baseball shape. He made a comeback to the major leagues with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2011, where he spent one season before a brief stint with the Minnesota Twins. He also played 79 games with the independent Long Island Ducks from 2015 to 2016, winning the Atlantic League batting title in 2015.
In his major league career, Burroughs appeared in 528 games, batted .278, hit 12 home runs, and drove in 143 runs. Besides his MLB career, Burroughs was also a member of the gold-medal-winning USA team at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney.
Burroughs’ death is a tragic reminder of the ongoing opioid crisis and the dangers of fentanyl. His passing has left a significant void in the baseball community, particularly in Long Beach, where he was a beloved coach and mentor.
Source: TMZ, ESPN, Orange County Register, Long Beach Little League
