Former big league infielder Sean Burroughs passed away this week at just 43 years of age, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports. Tragically, the former Little League World Series hero and No. 9 overall draft pick collapsed while coaching his son’s little league game.
The son of former No. 1 overall draft pick, two-time All-Star, and 1974 American League MVP Jeff Burroughs, Sean clearly had baseball in his DNA. He starred on the mound and at the plate while leading his Long Beach team to consecutive Little League World Series wins and eventually went on to be selected by the Padres with the ninth overall pick in the 1998 draft. Baseball America ranked him among the sport’s top-100 prospects in each of the next four years, including top-10 rankings each year from 2000-02. Burroughs represented the United States in the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney and won a Gold Medal.
Burroughs made his big league debut as the Padres’ third baseman on April 2, 2002 — collecting two hits in his first taste of MLB action. He struggled through the season’s first two months but returned from a Triple-A assignment to hit .377/.433/.410 in 67 September plate appearances. Burroughs was the Padres’ regular third baseman in 2003-04, hitting a combined .292/.350/.384 in 1142 trips to the plate. He struggled at the plate again in 2005 and was traded to the Devil Rays in a 2005-06 offseason deal that sent right-hander Dewon Brazelton back to the Friars.
Burroughs appeared in only eight games for the Rays plus another 37 with their Triple-A affiliate in Durham. He was out of baseball entirely for several years after that and had since candidly spoken about a subsequent spiral of drug addiction and alcoholism. In a heart-wrenching interview with ESPN’s Jim Caple in 2011, Burroughs described the harrowing experience of spending years living in cheap Las Vegas motels, eating out of trash cans and abusing virtually any substance he could find. “I would just try to fill myself with as much substances as I could, legally or illegally,” he acknowledged.
Despite that low point — which Burroughs likened to the Nicolas Cage film Leaving Las Vegas — Burroughs’ baseball career had a second act. He cleaned his life up, got a second chance from late D-backs GM Kevin Towers (who’d drafted Burroughs with the Padres), and played in 78 games with the 2011 Diamondbacks. Burroughs inked a minor league deal with the Twins that offseason and wound up appearing in ten games with Minnesota as well. Those would prove to be the final games of his MLB career, but he spent the 2014-17 seasons playing between several teams in the independent Atlantic League, as well as in Venezuelan Winter ball and in the Mexican League.
Burroughs’ big league career lasted all of 528 games and saw him bat .278/.335/.355. Despite that modest performance, he’ll be remembered as a remarkable talent — one who was thrust into a national spotlight at an early age and racked up more accolades than most players accrue in a lifetime before he even set foot on a major league field. His tragic passing will bring about immeasurable “what ifs,” but Burroughs also stands as a beacon of perseverance. Overcoming his yearslong battle with addiction to return to the major leagues and spend more than a half decade in pro ball is inspirational in and of itself — the type of story that transcends baseball and has the power to impact a far broader audience.
We at MLBTR offer our condolence to the Burroughs family and to his friends, former teammates and coaches, and countless fans around the world.
RIP, Sean Burroughs. Far too young.
Rest in Paradise sir. Condolences to his friends and family
Damn only 43 yrs old
In front of his son
Rough way to go
RIP
Sean Burroughs is evidence that you can turn your life around from self harm, with perseverance, hard work and determination
RIP, your life was cut far too short
A sad day. Condolences to the family.
Wow, seriously young and sudden.
RIP and my thoughts are definitely with the family. That’s rough, been there with my own father who passed suddenly and unexpectedly years ago.
Rmbr he was all the rage, never knew he had substance abuse issues, too damn young RIP
I remember drafting Burroughs every season when I used to play fantasy leagues. So young. RIP.
Tragic. Prayer to the family.
43 is so young for most, but he conquered his demons and found redemption. Some never find that in 100 years. A life well-lived.
Just horrible.
Rest in peace. Prayers to family and friends.
A millionaire at 19 reduced to eating out of garbage cans. Wow. RIP.
Terrible news. I remember Burroughs as another can’t miss prospect that missed big time. Still, rough life after Baseball that seemed to be looking up. R.I.P. Sean
“But Burroughs also stands as a beacon of perseverance. Overcoming his yearslong battle with addiction to return to the major leagues and spend more than a half decade in pro ball is inspirational in and of itself — the type of story that transcends baseball and has the power to impact a far broader audience.” – This is as high quality writing as i have seen on this website in a long time, fantastic eulogy Steven!
Agreed.
Common event these days. Young people dropping dead in droves.
VAXXED
Glad I didn’t get it. Never got any virus either.
Totally shocked! I hated how they treated him as a player, they wanted him to hit his position instead of hitting .300
Last time I saw him was around 2005 or 2006 at a Las Vegas 51s game. I think he was with Portland at the time. Horrible, horrible, horrible event.
Tough day for San Diego sports. Barry Axelrod also passed away.
Mike Epstein was coaching my daughter (i.e. a few sessions), and we discussed Burroughs. Epstein had said that the Padres had called him in as a third party coach to work with Burroughs on generating more power via a more rotational swing. He said coaching Sean was like talking to a brick wall. He had his own approach, and wouldn’t accept advice from any quarter, his own coaches, Tony Gwynn, Epstein, etc. He was just a hard case. Not sure if Burroughs was into substance abuse then, or maybe later as a result of the pressure of performing in the majors. (Haven’t read any books or much about his issues, so maybe there’s better info than my own speculation.) He just seemed like a lost, very sad young kid when he was with the Pads. RIP.
I remember watching him in a little league world series and then as he got drafted and coming up. Didn’t have the career his dad had, but he didn’t lack for talent. At least he got his life together and got a second act and had a family. More than can be said for many who struggle with addiction.
Wow; only 43.
Guy was the 310th best 3B man in MLB history. Better than OF legends like Ray Dandridge and Bill McKechnie. Guy belongs in the HOF.
Stay classy there, Old York.
What is your problem? Disparaging a dead man? What kind of person are you?
@rememberthecoop
How am I being disrespectful?
Saw him play in the LLWS. Big fan of his dad. Stay away from trash can diets.
RIP Sean.
Burroughs could hit for average and OBP, but he lacked power. He was a singles hitter which is why he didnt stick. Sorry to hear about his passing.
He wasn’t a very good defensive 3B either.
Saw him play for Long Beach at the Western Regionals in San Bernarghetto. Hit a monster home run his first at bat, and was intentionally walked/ pitched around every at bat that followed. He also pitched, and was practically unhittable.
I even got to meet his dad and get an autograph. He was a favorite of mine growing up. So all in all a great baseball memory!
Wow. He’ll always be the chubby kid with all the power playing Little League to me. It’s a shame for his child to have to grow up without him. RIP
That’s an all around sad story .
When you consider the number of promising young players who went sideways due to personal issues, Caminiti, Burroughs, K. Green, Jacob Nix, Matt Bush, plus others come to mind, it’s no wonder that the Padres under AJ Preller have put personal traits and character at the top of their priority list, when it comes to investing in draft picks and International prospects, as well as general athleticism. That “character” thingy used to be a top criteria for government and private industry, when hiring new talent.
It probably still is for small companies and owners who can skirt the ridiculous labor laws, and of course, have their own money on the line.
Again, I’ll add RIP to Sean and regards to his family. Don’t want the above comment to sound disparaging. Burroughs went through a lot in his life, and dying too young on a baseball field in front of his son, wasn’t something that anyone deserves. God bless them all.
Addiction is not a character flaw.
Well, Bob, lol, a whole lot of reformed addicts think otherwise.
There are two sides of addiction, no, three. There’s before, when the choice to indulge in certain behaviors is a choice, i.e. no man nor woman is committed at birth to alcohol, drugs, or other behaviors. There is THE addiction, which is an illness, and genetically, affects certain people with a predisposition towards addiction over others, and there is POST addiction, when the illness has left the body, but the psychological, likely life-long trama still remains.
It’s that first part which is determined by character. My mom and dad were alcoholics. I drink, but am not. One reason I’m not, as I’ve determined through personal conviction NOT to drink more than one, perhaps occasionally two drinks (i.e. beer, wine, rum, etc.) in an evening. Overall my intake probably amounts to a dozen, maybe eighteen drinks a month. It’s something I can control It’s something that I know can get OUT OF MY CONTROL, and I’ve determined never to allow anything in life control me. Addiction is slavery. Self-control is freedom.
For anyone who is addicted, or in post addiction, my sympathies. It’s a tough monkey for one to get off their backs. However, it’s still a personal choice, though a more difficult one, once addicted. It ~~ IS ~~ still about character.
Old Salt, I Never read a post of yours before. I see I wasn’t missing anything. You are vile.and oh..I guess the Navy’s standards are not very high.
There is a San Diego curse with that bad trait stuff. Matt Bush, Dave Smith, Ryan Leaf, Kevin Mitchell, etc.
Two time Little League WS winner, too.
I grew up watching this guy in the llws and followed his story he beat the odds of addiction and came back im sheddding a tear and drinkin a beer bro words cant even….
This is real tragic. RIP Mr. Burroughs
Wow. Terrible news.
Crushed for his family, especially his son.
RIP.
RIP
Damn…just damn. What a loss. RIP, SB!!!
Horrible news. Remember watching him play little league and how amazing a player he was. And, how hard MLB is.
Very unfortunate, this news is
Feel bad for his family. Drugs take a serious, irreversible toll on the body. Once Pandora’s Box is opened, you can’t go back….
I still have my Sean Burroughs action figure in the original plastic bag from a game night giveaway. He was full of promise the first year that Petco Park was open. Hit for nice average, but we always wanted more power out of him. RIP “Dr. Burroughs”.
Perfectly normal for a 43 year old to just collapse out of nowhere.
How many young athletes have dropped dead over the past few years out of nowhere. You all know why.
Crimes against humanity.
And they are finding out In congressional hearings that the people having a big influence over how all of this was handled were openly talking about hiding information by communicating outside official government methods.
Crimes against humanity need to lead to consequences.
Horrible way to go. At your son’s little league game. One of the more sad baseball obituaries. RIP.