Julio Lugo, a major league shortstop from 2000 to '11, has died, according to a report by ESPN's Enrique Rojas, who spoke to the late baseball player's family.
Rojas says Lugo's death is presumed to be of a heart attack. MLB reporter Héctor Gómez of Z101 Digital in the Dominican Republic appears to confirm that Lugo suffered a heart attack.
Lugo was selected in the 43rd round of the 1994 MLB draft and made his big league debut for the Astros in April 2000. He also played for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Dodgers, Red Sox, Cardinals, Orioles and Braves—for whom he played his final MLB season in 2011.
Lugo played a key role in Boston's 2007 World Series victory. After hitting just .237 with eight home runs and 73 RBIs during the regular season, he hit .281 in the postseason and went 5-for-13 with a double, an RBI and two runs scored in the World Series against the Rockies.
Lugo, who was born in the Dominican Republic, attended high school in Brooklyn and Connors State College in Oklahoma before turning pro.
Lugo finished his career with a .269 batting average with 80 career home runs and 475 RBIs.
He was set to turn 46 years old on Tuesday.
