Angel Echevarria, a former Major League Baseball player and a Bridgeport native, has died at 48 years old.

Echevarria was in the majors from 1996 until 2002, playing for the Milwaukee Brewers and the Chicago Cubs, though he spent most of his career with the Colorado Rockies. He later played for the Bridgeport Bluefish.

His family said that he passed away Friday night in Park City. His brother, Jose, who says he is devastated by the sudden and unexpected loss, told News 12 that Echevarria had been sick with a stomach virus for a few days. He says his brother then suffered a fall and hit his head. He was pronounced dead at a Bridgeport hospital.

Jose said that baseball may have been Echevarria’s passion, but his legacy will be his ‘kind heart’ that touched every person he met.

“It was the love of his family, the love of his fans, and the love of the children that he taught, and he was there for," he said.

State and local leaders are paying special tributes to Echevarria, who graduated from Bassick High School, on Saturday.

"The loss of Angel Echavarria deprives so many young people of a role model and a hero," said Sen. Richard Blumenthal.

Echavarria had two sons, Junior and Aurie. The family says they are still in the process of making funeral arrangements.

Officials have not yet released the cause of death.