Longtime Major League Baseball player and manager Jim Fregosi passed away in a Miami, Fla., hospital early Friday morning at the age of 71, according to MLB.com’s Tracy Ringolsby.

“He passed away at 2:36 a.m. [ET],” according to Jim Fregosi Jr., the oldest son of the 71-year-old Fregosi. “Went in peace with no pain.”

At Fregosi’s bedside when he passed away were his wife Joni, daughters Nikki, Lexy and Jennifer, and sons Robert and Jim.

That report was confirmed by Bob Nightengale of USA Today:

Jim Fregosi, whose outsized personality complemented his significant stature in baseball through six decades as a player, manager, scout and executive, died Friday morning from complications of a stroke, his son Jim Fregosi Jr. confirmed to USA TODAY Sports.

Ringolsby first reported Fregosi suffered a stroke while out on an MLB alumni cruise, then was flown to Miami from the Cayman Islands on Tuesday after his condition stabilized. He was taken off life support Thursday night.

MLB Public Relations supplied Commissioner Bud Selig’s statement on Fregosi’s passing:

Fregosi most recently served as a top scout for the Atlanta Braves organization, with the designation as a special assistant to the general manager (h/t Braves.com).

Longtime MLB agent Dennis Gilbert elaborated on what Fregosi meant to him personally, per Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times:

Braves president John Schuerholz commented on Fregosi’s passing, according to Jon Morosi of Fox Sports:

Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal and Dan Connolly of The Baltimore Sun gave an idea of how universally liked Fregosi was in paying their respects:

Before his most recent stint in Atlanta, Fregosi carved out an excellent 18-year playing career and a respectable stead in the dugout for multiple clubs.

The Los Angeles Angels franchise was where Fregosi got his start on the diamond as a shortstop in 1961, and he played there through the 1971 campaign. In that span, he was named to six All-Star teams and won a Golden Glove award in 1967. His jersey No. 11 is retired, which highlights the legacy he left behind with that organization.

After stints with the New York Mets, Texas Rangers and Pittsburgh Pirates, Fregosi’s playing days ended in 1978, with a career .265 batting average and 151 home runs to go with 706 RBI. However, his managerial career was just beginning, as he took the Angels’ managing job from 1978 to the first half of the 1981 campaign.

Stretches with the Chicago White Sox and Philadelphia Phillies followed before Fregosi’s last managing gig came with the Toronto Blue Jays (1999-2000). Fregosi accrued a career managerial record of 1,028-1,094 in 15 seasons, winning the National League pennant in Philadelphia in 1993 (h/t Baseball-Reference.com).

The Braves were the latest team to feel the positive impact Fregosi seemed to bring to everyone he came into contact with around Major League Baseball. Fregosi was part of the brain trust that assembled a club that won the franchise its first NL East divisional crown since 2005 this past season.

While Fregosi’s keen eye for assessing talent and his baseball IQ will be missed, all indications are that he is fondly remembered throughout the MLB. Thoughts go out to his family and friends at this time.

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