Garret Anderson's cause of death revealed after Angels' great shocking passing

MLB star Garrett Anderson died as a result of pancreatitis, the Orange County Sheriff Coroner's Office, confirmed to USA TODAY Sports on Tuesday, April 21.

Anderson, a three-time All-Star and 2002 World Series champion with the Los Angeles Angels, passed away last week at the age of 53, stunning the baseball world.

The cause of death was acute necrotizing pancreatitis, according to the Coroner Division of the Orange County Sheriff's Department. Anderson's wife Teresa had previously told ESPN she thought her husband had died of a heart attack.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, "necrotizing pancreatitis happens when pancreatitis inflammation is so severe that it causes tissue death (necrosis)."

“Garret will forever hold a special place in the hearts of Angels fans for his professionalism, class, and loyalty throughout his career and beyond. We extend our heartfelt condolences to the entire Anderson family," the Angels said in a statement on April 17.

The team has honored Anderson since news of his death, including a "GA" patch on their jerseys and emblem in the outfield of Angel Stadium.

Anderson grew up in Granada Hills, California, and was selected in the fourth round of the 1990 draft. He made his MLB debut July 27, 1994 against Oakland with his first hit off Ron Darling. He finished second in the AL Rookie of the Year voting in 1995 behind Marty Cordova of the Minnesota Twins.

He was one of the game’s most durable players, playing an average of 156 games per year his first eight seasons. He finished with 2,529 hits and a career .293 batting average.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Garret Anderson cause of death revealed after Angels legend's passing