Sean Burroughs, former MLB player, Olympic champ and two-time LLWS winner, dies at 43

Sean Burroughs, the former MLB player, Olympic gold medalist and Little League icon, has died. He was 43.

Long Beach Little League (LBLL) confirmed that Burroughs "tragically passed away" Thursday afternoon at Stearns Champions Park in Long Beach, California, where Burroughs played baseball as a child and won back-to-back Little League World Series championships as a pitcher in 1992 and 1993.

LBLL president Doug Wittman told the Orange County Register that Burroughs was found unconscious in the parking lot next to his car after dropping his 6-year-old son off for a Little League game. Wittman said CPR was performed on Burroughs in an attempt revive him, but Burroughs was later pronounced dead at the scene.

"Sean was a legend in LBLL... While he left LB to play for several clubs in the MLB, he returned to his home fields at Stearns Champions Park to coach his son," the LBLL said in an Instagram statement. "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."

Born Sept. 12, 1980, Burroughs followed in the footsteps of his father — 1974 AL MVP Jeff Burroughs — and played baseball at Woodrow Wilson Classical High School in Long Beach. He was selected ninth overall in the 1998 MLB Draft by the San Diego Padres and made his big league debut in 2002 after finding success in the minors. Burroughs also played for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays (2006), Arizona Diamondbacks (2011) and Minnesota Twins (2012).

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In 528 career games in MLB across seven seasons, Burroughs averaged .278 and recorded 463 hits, 187 runs and 12 home runs.

"We mourn the passing of former Padres third baseman Sean Burroughs," the Padres said on Friday. The Diamondbacks wrote: "The #Dbacks mourn the passing of Sean Burroughs and offer our condolences to his family and friends. Sean was a member of the 2011 NL West champion team and beloved by his teammates, coaches, staff, and fans. Rest in peace, Sean."

Burroughs helped USA Baseball win its first Olympic gold medal at the 2000 Sydney Games, recording a .375 batting average in four games.

"We at USA Baseball are heartbroken to hear of the tragic passing of Sean," USA Baseball executive director and CEO Paul Seiler said in a statement. "Sean was a part of one of our most beloved teams, and he represented our country on and off the field in a first-class manner. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Burroughs family during this time."