Marlins' Mel Stottlemyre Jr. Has Prostate, Lymph Nodes Removed After Cancer Diagnosis

Miami Marlins pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre Jr. said in an article published Friday that he was diagnosed with prostate cancer prior to the start of the 2021 Major League Baseball season.

Speaking to Craig Mish of the Miami Herald, Stottlemyre said he received the diagnosis in February and had his prostate and lymph nodes removed Oct. 6.

"I had elevated PSAs [prostate-specific antigens] over the past five years, and my doctors continued to monitor them," he said. "Over [last] winter, I just didn't feel right. I was wiped out. I knew something was wrong. When I got to spring training, my numbers had escalated to the point that I knew I had to see the urologist."

Mish noted Stottlemyre planned to have surgery during the All-Star break, but he opted to wait until after the season in order to keep coaching.

Stottlemyre added he "didn’t want anyone to know," so he only told only CEO Derek Jeter, general manager Kim Ng and manager Don Mattingly.

According to Mish, the Marlins gave Stottlemyre a contract extension that will keep him with the organization through next season.

The 57-year-old told Mish he is going to encourage men to get their prostates checked regularly.

"It brought me to my knees," Stottlemyre said. "There were some crying moments there. I want to be a spokesperson for this and remind people getting their prostate checked can save their life."

As Mish noted, Mel Stottlemyre Sr., the New York Yankees pitcher and longtime MLB pitching coach, died in 2019 after he was diagnosed with blood cancer. And Mel Stottlemyre Jr.'s brother Jason died of leukemia when he was 11.

Stottlemyre was a first-round draft pick by the Houston Astros in the 1985 secondary draft. He appeared in 13 games with the Kansas City Royals in 1990, his lone stint in the big leagues.

The Washington state native began his career as an MLB coach with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2009. He joined Mattingly's staff in 2019 after a three-year stint with the Seattle Mariners.