Scott Littlefield, a two-time scout of the year who spent the last 16 seasons of a 34-year career with the Rangers, died Friday while on an assignment, the team announced.
He was 59.
Littlefield, who reportedly underwent 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 operations Chris Young said in the team’s release. “His voice was influential in all aspects of our baseball operation from professional, amateur, and international scouting to Major League player evaluation. He was an invaluable resource and advisor.
“More importantly, he was one of the most genuine and caring individuals in the game. The Littlefields are a baseball family with his two children and two brothers all working for MLB teams. Several of us were just with Scott in Houston this week, and his passion for our team never waned.”
Littlefield’s scouting journey began with the Braves in 1991, and he went on to work for the Pirates from 1997-2004 (as a west coast crosschecker, according to Baseball Reference) and the Padres from 2005-09 (as a national crosschecker) before joining the Rangers as a professional scout five years later.
At the time of his death, he was the Rangers’ special assistant for player personnel and had been on staff for six postseason appearances by Texas — including the 2023 run to the World Series.
Numerous of Littlefield’s family members were also involved in baseball, with his brother, Dave, a former Pirates general manager; his brother, Mark, the Yankees’ medical coordinator; his daughter, Erika, an amateur scouting assistant for the Orioles and his son, Tyler, a Padres scout, according to the team’s release.
“He was a scout’s scout and loved baseball and being a scout more than anyone I have ever met,” Rangers scout Mike Anderson told USA Today. “It’s the only job he ever wanted, and he did it for 34 years.”
The Rangers held a moment of silence for Littlefield before their game against the Marlins on Saturday.