Ex- MLB infielder Sean Burroughs 'dies at the age of 44 after collapsing while coaching his son's Little League team'

Former MLB infielder Sean Burroughs has reportedly died after collapsing at the age 44. 

The former San Diego Padres third baseman collapsed while coaching his son's Little League team before passing away on Thursday, according to MLB reporter Bob Nightengale. 

USA Baseball later confirmed the tragic news of Burroughs' death, paying tribute to the Olympic Gold medalist. 

'We at USA Baseball are heartbroken to hear of the tragic passing of Sean,' said USA Baseball Executive Director/CEO Paul Seiler. 

'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.' 

Burroughs, a former first-round MLB draft pick, played seven seasons in the major leagues. He was the son of 1974 American League MVP Jeff Burroughs.

The Atlanta-born man spent the first three years of his pro career in San Diego after being taken out of high school in California by the Padres with the ninth overall pick at the 1998 MLB Draft.

In the 2003 season he finally became a key member of San Diego's roster, hitting .286 over 146 games, before hitting .298 over 130 games the following year.

However, heading into the 2006 season Burroughs found himself back in the minor leagues with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, who released him that August. Then came a stint with the Seattle Mariners, where he would play just four games with the Triple-A Tacoma before walking away from the sport for three years.

'I just didn't have the drive or the passion,'' he told ESPN in an interview in June 2011 of his decision to walk away from the game. 'I was spent physically and spent mentally. It just wasn't there. 

'I was emotionally drained. I still loved the game and respected the game, but I didn't have the drive to go to the park every day. I kind of lost the desire.''

In his time away from baseball, the former No. 9 Draft pick suffered personal difficulties, spiralling into drug and drug abuse prior to his eventual return at the age of 30 - having achieved sobriety following a dark period in his life. 

In the ESPN interview, Burroughs said that in part of the span in which he was out of baseball, he was a substance abuser living in cheap motels in Las Vegas and eating out of trash cans. It lasted until he looked in the mirror, decided he didn't recognize himself and vowed to turn things around.

He moved back into his childhood home, under the house rules, and worked himself back into baseball shape.

And having conquered those demons, a 30-year-old Burroughs was back in the major leagues with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2011, where he spent one season before a brief stint with the Minnesota Twins.

He played 79 games with the independent Long Island Ducks (2015-16), winning the Atlantic League batting title in 2015.

In his major league career, Burroughs appeared in 528 games, batted .278, hit 12 home runs and drove in 143.

As well as enjoying several years in MLB, Burroughs was also a member of the Gold-medal winning USA team at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney.