Scott Littlefield, a double explorer of the year who spent the last 16 seasons of a 34-year career at the Rangers, died on Friday during an assignment, the team announced.
He was 59.
Littlefield, who reportedly underwent a heart surgery two years ago, suffered an apparent heart attack and was found dead in his hotel room in Houston, According to USA Today.
“Scott was one of the most respected scouts in Major League Baseball who had an incredible impact on this organization,” Rangers President of baseball activities Chris Young said in the release of the team. “His voice was influential in all aspects of our baseball surgery from professional, amateur and international exploration to evaluation of the Major League players. He was an invaluable source and adviser.
“What is even more important, he was one of the most real and caring individuals in the game. The Littlefields are a baseball family with his two children and two brothers who all worked for MLB teams. A number of us were just at Scotton in Houston this week, and his passion for our team never decreased.”
Littlefield’s Scouting Journey started with the Braves in 1991, and he went to work for the 1997-2004 Pirates (as Crossschecker on the West Coast, according to baseball reference) and the Padres of 2005-09 (as a National Crosschecker) before he joined the Rangers later.
At the time of his death, he was the special assistant of the Rangers for player staff and had been to staff for six performances of the late season through Texas – including the 2023 run to the World Series.
Numerous relatives of Littlefield were also involved in baseball, with his brother, Dave, a former general manager of Pirates; His brother, Mark, the medical coordinator of the Yankees; His daughter, Erika, an amateur explorer’s assistant for the Orioles and his son, Tyler, a Padres assistant, according to the release of the team.
“He was an explorer and loved baseball and more explorer than someone I have ever met,” Ranger’s Scout Mike Anderson told USA Today. “It’s the only job he ever wanted, and he did it for 34 years.”
The Rangers had a moment of silence for Littlefield for their match against the Marlins on Saturday.
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