Former Met Butch Huskey, one of MLB’s last players to wear 42, passes at 54

Butch Huskey, the former New York Mets player known for wearing uniform number 42, has passed away at the age of 54. The Mets confirmed the cause of death as a blood clot in his lung, according to a source. A seventh-round draft pick by the Mets in 1989, Huskey spent portions of five seasons with the team, primarily playing first base, third base, and in the outfield.

He hit .264 with a .740 OPS during his tenure with the Mets. Huskey's best season with the team came in 1997 when he hit 24 home runs and posted a .822 OPS in 142 games, mostly playing right field. He grew up in Oklahoma, initially living with his grandmother and later with his father and eight siblings. A standout athlete in high school, Huskey chose baseball over football, despite receiving a scholarship offer from the University of Oklahoma.

A highly touted prospect during his time in the Mets' minor league system, Huskey won the organization's player of the year award in 1989 and again in 1991 and 1993. He was called up to the majors in September 1993 following an injury to Bobby Bonilla, making his debut in Darryl Kile's no-hitter against the Mets. The Mets traded him to the Seattle Mariners prior to the 1999 season, where he hit seven home runs and helped the team reach the postseason as a Wild Card team.

Huskey then played for the Boston Red Sox, hitting .200 with a double and a walk in six games during the postseason. He finished his career with the Colorado Rockies, wearing number 35. Mo Vaughn was the last Mets player to wear number 42 before Huskey, doing so from 2002 to 2003.