Former Baltimore Orioles pitcher Brian Matusz, a first-round draft pick who won a World Series ring with the Chicago Cubs, was found dead in a Phoenix home, police said Wednesday.
A cause of death for the 37-year-old was not immediately revealed.
“I can confirm we responded to a dead body call at a home near 44th Street and Campbell Avenue” at about 2:45 p.m. MST on Monday, Phoenix Police Sgt. Phil Krynsky said in a statement to NBC News.
“The deceased person found was indeed 37-year-old Brian Matusz. Currently, this incident is being handled as a death investigation.”
The left-handed hurler played at St. Mary’s High School in Phoenix before heading to University of San Diego, where he was the West Coast Conference Pitcher of the Year in 2008.
That standout season led him to be the fourth overall pick of that June’s MLB Draft by Baltimore. He was selected just behind recently retired first baseman Eric Hosmer and ahead of No. 5 pick Buster Posey, a likely Hall of Fame catcher for the San Francisco Giants.
Matusz made quick work of the minor leagues and started his eight-year-long MLB career with Baltimore the following spring.
His best season as a starting pitcher came in 2010, winning a career-high 10 games in 32 starts. Matusz found more success later in his career as a workhorse relief pitcher, appearing in 186 games out of Baltimore’s bullpen between 2013 and 2015.
Former Baltimore Orioles players said Matusz was the consummate teammate.
“RIP to a good friend and teammate,” retired Baltimore outfielder Adam Jones said in a statement. “We had some amazing times on and off the field. Rest easy my friend. Wow.”
The southpaw had an inexplicably dominant career against Hall of Fame slugger David Ortiz. In 30 plate appearance against Matusz, “Big Papi” struck out 13 times, collected just four hits, one walk and no home runs.
Matusz finished up his career pitching in one game for the 2016 Chicago Cubs. The North Siders went on to win the World Series that fall, for their first title since 1908, earning a championship ring for Matusz.
Janhvi Bhojwani and Toby Lyles contributed.
