Tyler Skaggs Is the Eighth Angel Baseball Player to Die Since 1965.
Dick Wantz (born April 30, 1940) grew up in South Gate California and played baseball in college and then the pros and slowly worked his way up through the Angels minor league system from 1961 to 1964. Wantz Joined the Angels in 1965 and was well regarded enough to relief pitch in the April 13, season home opener – two days after his twenty-fifth birthday. He allowed two runs but struck out two. He died exactly one month later, May 13, of a brain tumor.
Chico Ruiz (born December 05, 1938) grew up in Cuba and signed with the Cincinnati Redlegs at age 19 in 1958. He scraped his way out of the minors by 1964 and made the newly named “Reds” roster. That year he stole home in a game for the only run and a win. By that time new blood infielders including Pete Rose rendered him to the bench and he was traded to the Angels in 1969. He played for the Angels in 1970 and 1971 and had volatile relationships with players. He got cut and signed with the Royals but before he ever played for them on February 9,1972 he fatally drove his car into a pole. Whether it was an accident or not is unknown.
Mike Miley (born March 30, 1953) was a two-sport star at LSU and the number one draft pick for the Angels in 1974. He played 162 games for the Angels in 1975 and 1976. In January 1977 he fatally crashed his sports car in a singular accident at age 23.
Lymon Bostock (born November 22, 1950) grew up the son of a professional baseball player. Bostock signed with the Twins in 1975 and then the Angels in 1977 for six years and 2.6 million dollars. His last game was on September 23, 1978 and he was murdered in a drive by shooting that night.
Nick Adenhart (born August 24, 1986) A highly scouted high school pitcher, blew out his elbow in his last high school start two weeks before the 2004 MLB draft. He was projected to be drafted in the first round. He was drafted by the Angels in the 14th round. In the summer of 2004 Adenhart had Tommy John surgery. After rehabilitation and a successful stint in the minors, Adenhart was called-up to the Angels early in the 2004 season. At the time, he was the youngest active-roster pitcher in the major leagues. In 2008 he started 3 games with one decision – a win. In 2009 he again earned a spot in the Angels starting rotation. After starting one no-decision game on April 8th2009 he was passenger in a car crash and killed him and two other people on April 9th2009. He was 22 years old. The drunk driver of the other car was convicted of murder and hit-an-run and sentenced to 50 years in prison.
Tommy Hanson (born August 28, 1986) A pitcher, Last played major league baseball for the Angels in 2012 recording a 4-3 record. After bouncing around in the White Sox, Rangers and Giants farm teams including 11 starts for the San Jose Giants in 2015. On November 9, 2015 at age 29 he died of cocaine and alcohol toxicity.
Luis Adan Valbuena (November 30, 1985) played eleven seasons in the major leagues, from 2008 through 2018. He played for the Angels in 2017 and 2018. He was killed in a car crash in 2018 in Venezuela caused by bandits in an attempted robbery.
Tyler Skaggs (born July 13, 1991) Another pitcher, drafted in the first round by the Angels in the 2009 draft played eight years in the majors. After a stint with Arizona he pitched for the Angels from 2014 to 2019. He won 15 games total in 2018 and 2019. On the road during a series with the Rangers Skaggs was found unresponsive in a Southlake Texas hotel room.
