Inside The Rangers

Medical Examiner Reveals What Killed Sean Burroughs, Son Of Former Texas Ranger

Sean Burroughs, the son of former Texas Rangers player Jeff Burroughs, died suddenly on May 9 after dropping his son off at baseball practice in a Long Beach, Calif., parking lot.

Stefan Stevenson

Jun. 1, 2011; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks infielder Sean Burroughs against the Florida Marlins at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Jun. 1, 2011; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks infielder Sean Burroughs against the Florida Marlins at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports / Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
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Former MLB player Sean Burroughs, the son of former Texas Rangers MVP Jeff Burroughs, died from fentanyl intoxication on May 9 in Long Beach, Calif., according to the Los Angeles County medical examiner.

The examiner ruled his death as an accident.

Burroughs, 43, collapsed on May 9 in a parking lot of a baseball field and died from cardiac arrest, his mother Debbie told the Southern California News Group.

Burroughs became a celebrity after winning consecutive Little League World Series championships on a Long Beach, Calif., team coached by his father, who was the first Rangers player to win an American League MVP award in 1974. The Little League World Series title led to numerous media appearances, including Late Night with David Letterman.

Burroughs won an Olympic gold medal with Team USA in 2000.

He played in 528 MLB games, batting .278 with 12 home runs and 143 RBI. The San Diego Padres No. 9 overall pick in the 1998 MLB Draft made his MLB debut in 2002 but was out of the game from 2008 to 2010, struggling with substance abuse issues.

Burroughs was found unconscious next to his car at Stearns Champions Park in Long Beach after dropping off his son, Knox, for a Little League game, Long Beach Little League president Doug Wittman said at the time. Wittman said CPR was performed on Burroughs in hopes of reviving him but that he remained unresponsive and was pronounced dead at the scene shortly after.

He also played for the Tampa Bay Rays, Arizona Diamondbacks, and Minnesota Twins.

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Stefan Stevenson
STEFAN STEVENSON

Stefan Stevenson worked as a journalist and editor at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram for 25 years, covering sports, concerts, and general news. His beats have included the Dallas Cowboys, the Texas Rangers, and Texas Christian University football.

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