PITTSBURGH – Tragedy struck the Mets last night when word reached here from Florida that Brian Cole, the organization’s minor-league player of the year last season, was killed in a car accident earlier in the day in the Florida Panhandle.
He was 22.
Cole was driving from the Mets’ spring-training facility in Port St. Lucie, Fla., to his hometown of Meridian, Miss., to drop off his vehicle, the team said.
Florida Highway Patrol officials said the one-car accident occurred just south of the Georgia border, about 45 miles northwest of Tallahassee.
The accident happened on Interstate 10 near State Highway 286 at about 3:30 p.m. CST, said John Zappone, a duty officer with the Florida Highway Patrol in Panama City.
Zappone said officers were still investigating the accident, and that no other details were available.
Cole was to fly today to Binghamton, to join the Mets’ Double-A team.
At the end of a team dinner here last night as the Mets prepared for Opening Day, GM Steve Phillips received a call from the Mets’ director of minor-league operations, Kevin Morgan, informing of him of Cole’s death.
Keith Miller, Cole’s agent, had been informed by Cole’s brother of his death. At the dinner, upon hearing the news, players were crying.
The Mets believed Cole, an outfielder, owned a very promising future with the organization. Last season, he hit .312 with 15 homers and 61 RBIs and 51 stolen bases at Single-A St. Lucie.
After stealing 28 more bases in Double-A, the Mets considered calling him up to the majors as a base-runner at the end of last season, but ultimately decided against it.
Cole was considered the second-best prospect in the Mets system behind Alex Escobar. Listed at only 5-foot-9 and 168 pounds, he surprised people with his power to go along with his speed.
Cole was managed by Dave Engle at St. Lucie.
“He is going to be a superstar,” Engle, now the Mets’ batting coach, said early last month.
One NL scout said he could be another Shannon Stewart. The names Craig Biggio and Ron Gant were also brought up in relation to Cole’s build and offense.
Met manager Bobby Valentine had noticed Cole, who participated in his first big-league camp this spring, and had said, “He seems electric.”