Former MLB pitcher Tommy Hanson has died, the Atlanta Braves confirmed late Monday night.
via ESPN:
Hanson, 29, pitched five seasons in the major leagues, four with the Braves and one with the Los Angeles Angels in 2013 following a trade.
A group of Hanson’s former teammates was nearby when he died at Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta, a Braves representative told MLB.com.
Hanson had been in a coma, according to multiple reports.
A source told WSB-TV, the ABC affiliate in Atlanta, that Hanson had trouble breathing early Sunday morning and was taken to a hospital. He suffered catastrophic organ failure, multiple sources told the TV station.
Hanson was selected by the Braves in the 22nd round of the 2005 draft and once was considered the top prospect in the organization.
However, after posting a 2.89 ERA over 21 starts in his rookie season of 2009, Hanson slipped each season thereafter. He saw a gradual decline in his velocity and dealt with shoulder issues that kept him on the disabled list in 2011.
He made multiple comeback attempts, with the Texas Rangers, Chicago White Sox and San Francisco Giants, but never caught on with a team.
He was 49-35 with a 3.80 ERA for his career.
