Former Mariners first-round draft pick Mike Campbell traded in Randy Johnson deal, dead at 61

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Former Seattle Mariners first-round draft pick Mike Campbell died, the team announced. He was 61.

Campbell, who pitched in 51 major league games for four different teams, was one of the players traded by Seattle for future Hall of Famer Randy Johnson.

He died Monday at his home in Kirkland, Washington.

We are saddened by the passing of Seattle native and former Mariners pitcher Mike Campbell. Our hearts go out to his family and loved ones 💙 pic.twitter.com/XYU2a92Fri

— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) December 19, 2025

A cause of death was pending, according to King County Medical Examiner’s records viewed by The Post.

Born Michael Thomas Campbell, the future major leaguer graduated from the University of Hawaii at Mānoa before being drafted by the Mariners seventh overall in the 1985 draft.

“We are saddened by the passing of Seattle native and former Mariners pitcher Mike Campbell. Our hearts go out to his family and loved ones,” the team announced on X.

Players selected ahead of Campbell include home run leader Barry Bonds and Hall of Famer Barry Larkin.

He made his major league debut with the Mariners two years later on July 4, 1987, a 7-3 loss to the Detroit Tigers, going 2 and a third innings with 4 walks and 4 strikeouts.

His 13-year professional career spanned between the majors and the minors for four different organizations: Seattle, Texas Rangers, San Diego Padres and the Chicago Cubs.

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Campbell started in 41 of the 51 games he pitched in the majors, retiring with a 12-19 record with a 5.86 era in 233.1 innings.

He recorded three complete games and 135 strikeouts.

The Seattle, Washington-native finished with a .357 batting average in 14 at-bats and 3 RBIs.

On May 25, 1989, the Mariners agreed to ship southpaw Mark Langston and a player to be named later to the Montreal Expos for three pitchers, including Randy Johnson.

Two months later, on July 31, Campbell was named as the unidentified minor league player sent to Canada, completing the transaction for “the Big Unit.”

After retiring, Campbell and former Mariners batboy Steve Towey partnered up to create Shiskaberry’s, a dessert franchise that operated concession booths at multiple professional sporting venues, according to Newsweek.

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