Former Seattle Mariners pitcher and first-round pick Mike Campbell dies at 61

Former MLB pitcher Mike Campbell, a key player in the blockbuster trade that brought Hall of Famer Randy Johnson to Seattle, has died. He was 61 years old.

The Mariners, who selected Campbell in the first round of the 1985 MLB Draft, announced his death on Friday.

“We are saddened by the passing of former Mariners pitcher and Seattle native 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. The cause of death was listed as pending.

Campbell was selected seventh overall out of the University of Hawaii and made his MLB debut as a right-handed pitcher on July 4, 1987. He made appearances with the team until 1989, when he was later named in a trade that sent Mark Langston to the Montreal Expos in exchange for Randy Johnson, Brian Holman and Gene Harris.

Seattle Mariners pitcher Randy Johnson pitches against the Oakland Athletics at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, California, in 1993. (Focus on sport/Getty Images)

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Campbell appeared in 51 MLB games for four teams, including the Texas Rangers, San Diego Padres and Chicago Cubs, for whom he last played in 1996. He compiled a 12-19 record with 135 strikeouts and a 5.86 ERA.

Montreal Expos pitcher Mike Campbell in action during a spring training game against the Baltimore Orioles at Fort Lauderdale Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on March 2, 1998. (Image/Jamie Squire)

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Injuries to his throwing arm derailed much of his career, and he retired from the game in 1999 after stints in independent and international leagues.

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