Former Major League Baseball pitcher Scott Sauerbeck has died at the age of 53 after suffering a heart attack in Bradenton, Florida, Pittsburgh Baseball Now reports.
Sauerbeck, a left-handed reliever, was drafted by the New York Mets in the 23rd round of the 1994 MLB Amateur Draft and selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 1998 Rule 5 Draft after four seasons in the minors. The Cincinnati native spent five seasons with the Pirates before being traded to the Boston Red Sox midway through the 2003 season and had later stints with the Cleveland Indians and Oakland Athletics.
“The Pirates family mourns the passing of Scott Sauerbeck,” the team wrote in a post shared on its social media accounts. “Scott played for the Bucs from 1999-2003 and shares the club record for most games pitched by a LHP in one season.
“Our thoughts are with his family and friends during this time.
Sauerbeck finished his MLB career with a 20-17 record and a 3.82 ERA, as well as five saves and 389 strikeouts in 386.1 innings pitched and 471 games. The left-hander attempted to make a comeback with the Cincinnati Reds in 2008, signing a minor league deal but never playing for his hometown team.