Milwaukee Brewers scouting director Bruce Seid died suddenly Tuesday night while visiting his family in Las Vegas, the team announced. He was 53.
The Brewers named Seid their director of amateur scouting on Nov. 11, 2008, after his predecessor, Jack Zduriencik, left to become the general manager of the Seattle Mariners.
Seid joined the Brewers as an amateur scout in 1997, spending nine seasons as an area scout and two as a regional cross-checker before his promotion to director.
The Brewers tweeted condolences on Wednesday.
Our deepest condolences to the family of our friend and colleague Bruce Seid. We all mourn his passing.
- Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) September 3, 2014
A moment of silence was observed before the Brewers' loss to the Cubs on Wednesday night at Wrigley Field.
Seid spent six seasons as a scout for San Diego and Pittsburgh prior to joining the Brewers.
Under Seid, the Brewers drafted many future major leaguers, including current players Khris Davis, Scooter Gennett and Mike Fiers in 2009; and Jimmy Nelson and Tyler Thornburg in 2010.
Seid also drafted Mitch Haniger, whom the Brewers traded to Arizona for Gerardo Parra this summer, in 2012. He signed several players over his tenure as an area scout, including second-rounder Tony Gwynn Jr., in 2003, and Taylor Green in the 25th round in 2005.
Gwynn Jr. took to Twitter to remember Seid.
I'm sadden to here about Brewers scouting director Bruce Seid passing last night. He believed in my abilities and took a chance on me...
- Tony Gwynn Jr. (@tonygwynnjr) September 3, 2014
"We are stunned and devastated by the news of Bruce's passing," general manager Doug Melvin said Wednesday in a release. "He was a great friend to all of us, and no words can describe the sense of loss we feel. There are only a few people who have been with the Brewers as long as Bruce, and he was a kind and highly respected member of our organization. There are also very few who worked with the passion and dedication to the Brewers that Bruce did.
"A number of current players on our roster were given the opportunity to play Major League Baseball because of Bruce, and he was so proud of them. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Erika, and all of Bruce's family."
Born in Detroit in 1961, Seid was a fourth-round pick of the Chicago Cubs in 1980 out of Oak Park High School in Michigan, and played two years in the Cubs' system as a second and third baseman.