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Former MLB pitcher Mike Campbell, a key piece in the blockbuster trade that brought Hall of Famer Randy Johnson to Seattle, has died. He was 61.
The Mariners, who selected Campbell in the first round of the 1985 MLB Draft, announced his death Friday.
“We are saddened by the passing of Seattle native and former Mariner pitcher Mike Campbell. Our hearts go out to his family and loved ones,” the team said in a statement shared on social media.
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Online records from the King County Medical Examiner’s Office showed Campbell died Monday at his home. His cause of death was listed as pending.
Drafted seventh overall out of the University of Hawaii, Campbell made his MLB debut as a right-handed pitcher on July 4, 1987. He appeared with the team until 1989, when he was later drafted in a trade that sent Mark Langston to the Montreal Expos in exchange for Randy Johnson, Brian Holman and Gene Harris.
Pitcher Randy Johnson (51) of the Seattle Mariners pitches against the Oakland Athletics during a Major League Baseball game at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. Johnson played for the Mariners from 1989-98. The game took place in Oakland, California, around 1993. (Focus on Sports/Getty Images)
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Campbell appeared in 51 MLB games across four teams, including the Texas Rangers, San Diego Padres and Chicago Cubs, for whom he last pitched in 1996. He compiled a 12-19 record with 135 strikeouts and a 5.86 ERA.
Pitcher Mike Campbell of the Montreal Expos is in action during a spring training game against the Baltimore Orioles at Fort Lauderdale Stadium. The Orioles won the game, 11-9. The game took place in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on March 2, 1998. (IMAGN/ Jamie Squire)
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Injuries to his pitching arm marred much of his career, and he officially retired from the game in 1999 after stints in the independent and international leagues.
