FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Feb. 17 (UPI) -- Pitching prospect Steve Bechler of Baltimore, who collapsed Sunday at spring training, died Monday morning at North Ridge Medical Center in Fort Lauderdale.
Bechler, a righthander, collapsed on an auxiliary practice field behind the Orioles' spring training site.
Dr. William Goldiner, the Orioles' team physician, said Bechler died as the result of multi-organ failure due to heat stroke.
"The (hospital) staff there was aggressive and professional," Goldiner said. "He would rebound at times, invariably another organ would fail."
The Orioles' practice for Monday was called off.
Jim Beattie, the team's Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations, was in obvious shock. He said team officials had no other comment.
Beattie confirmed early Monday morning that Bechler was still critically ill, but that he was unable to provide any further information.
"Really, with respect to what's going on, we have been somewhat, I guess, silent out of respect for Steve's family and his wife," Beattie said.
MLB.com reported that Bechler's wife, Kiley, who is more than seven months pregnant, arrived in Fort Lauderdale late Sunday night after the team reached her on her cell phone. She had been driving cross country from Baltimore to their home in Oregon. Kiley, who had been driving with her stepfather, flew out of an airport in Salt Lake City.
Kiley, Dr. William Goldiner, and Mike Flanagan, the team's Vice President of Baseball Operations, left the Orioles complex Monday morning to check on Bechler at the hospital. Flanagan spent the night at the hospital with Bechler.
"In layman's terms, as he got into the hospital, his condition worsened," said Beattie, who could not comment on whether Bechler had any medical conditions or whether he was using nutritional supplements.
On Sunday, Bechler had completed almost 60 percent of the team's running drills for the day and looked winded in between repetitions.
"That is not unusual, especially on a high-humidity day," said Baltimore Manager Mike Hargrove.
The initial diagnosis was heat exhaustion and dehydration, but his condition worsened and he was taken to the hospital while being given oxygen and intravenous fluids.
This, combined with the fact that Bechler looked ashen and was leaning up against the fences that surround the field, prompted Hargrove to have assistant trainer Brian Ebel check him out. After having Bechler sit down on the grass, a motorized cart drove him back to the trainer's room at the Orioles' clubhouse at 11:35 a.m. Bechler then was given a sports drink for energy, but that didn't help.
He was laid flat on a bed to help lower his blood pressure and was given more fluids to hydrate his body.
"As he laid there, he got worse," Hargrove said.
He was transported to the hospital by two fire rescue and paramedic personnel, and was wheeled was wheeled out of the clubhouse while being given oxygen and intravenous fluids.
Pitchers Matt Riley and Rodrigo Lopez were on the auxiliary field when Bechler became ill. Riley said Bechler fell on the ground after running.
"He was really, really incoherent," Riley said.
Lopez said only that he saw Bechler lying on the grass, apparently overwhelmed by the heat. The temperature at midday was 81 degrees, and humidity was 70 percent.
"It was very hot out there," Lopez said. "It's hard to stay hydrated."
Bechler pitched a career-high 178 innings last season for Double-A Bowie, Triple-A Rochester, and the parent team. He was recalled from Rochester on Sept. 3, and made three relief appearances in Baltimore. He was charged with runs in every outing.
He made his major league debut on Sept. 6 against the Anaheim Angels, and gave up one run in two relief innings.
The third-round draft choice in 1998 out of South Medford High School in Oregon spent most of last season at Rochester, where he was 6-11 with a 4.09 ERA.
Bechler was 35-48 with a 3.82 ERA in five minor league seasons.
His death comes almost a year to the day after San Diego Padres outfielder Mike Darr was killed in a car crash. In June 2002, St. Louis pitcher Darryl Kile died suddenly from a blockage of arteries leading to his heart.
