Mike Campbell, a Seattle-born Major League Baseball pitcher who rose from the sandlots of West Seattle to the mound at the Kingdome, has passed away at the age of 61. Campbell, a right-handed pitcher known for his early professional stardom and his role in one of the most significant trades in Seattle sports history, died after a career and life deeply rooted in the Pacific Northwest. 

The medical examiner determined he had suffered a heart attack in his sleep.

A Local Legend’s Rise

Campbell grew up in West Seattle during the 1960s and 70s, attending Alki Elementary School and playing youth baseball at Bar-S Field near Alki Point. He attended Madison Middle School and West Seattle High School before transferring to Newport High School in Bellevue. He continued to live in West Seattle during the 80's

His talent on the mound took him to the University of Hawaii, where he became a standout for the Rainbow Warriors, earning the team’s most valuable pitcher honors in both 1984 and 1985. His dominant collegiate performance led the Seattle Mariners to select him 7th overall in the first round of the 1985 MLB Draft. Because of his last name his fellow players affectionately dubbed him "Soup" which they would greet him with in the dugout.

Professional Stardom and the "Landmark Trade"

Campbell’s professional career began with immense promise. In 1987, while playing for the Calgary Cannons, he was named the Pacific Coast League Most Valuable Player. He made his Major League debut for his hometown Mariners on July 4, 1987, appearing in 51 games for the franchise over three seasons as both a starter and a reliever.

While Campbell showed flashes of high potential, he is perhaps most remembered by fans as a central figure in a franchise-altering transaction. During the 1989 season, the Mariners traded Campbell and Mark Langston to the Montreal Expos in exchange for Gene Harris, Brian Holman, and Randy Johnson.

The arrival of Johnson, a future Hall of Famer, is widely credited with reshaping the history of the Mariners organization.

Injury Battles and Later Years

Following his time in Seattle and Montreal, Campbell pitched for the Texas Rangers (1992), San Diego Padres (1994), and Chicago Cubs (1996). However, his career was increasingly hampered by chronic shoulder injuries, which eventually forced him out of the Major Leagues.

In 1997, he attempted a comeback with the Yokohama Bay Stars in Japan, but his season was cut short by a severe ankle injury requiring reconstructive surgery. He officially retired from baseball in 1999 following a stint in the independent Atlantic League and later transitioned into a career as an American businessman.

Campbell married his high school sweetheart Michelle Baker, and although the couple would divorce later, they remained close friends and companions thereafter.

Legacy

Mike Campbell remains a significant figure in Seattle baseball lore—not only as a "local kid" who made it to the big leagues but as a top prospect whose career trajectory serves as a reminder of the physical demands of the sport. He is survived by the memory of a career that began on the fields of West Seattle and reached the highest stages of professional baseball