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USATSI

Loek van Mil, a 7-foot-1 Dutch pitcher who spent 10 seasons in the minor leagues, died Sunday from injuries suffered in a "fatal accident," the Netherlands baseball association announced. Van Mil was 34 years old.

"The KNBSB is very grateful to Mil for what he has done in his career for Dutch baseball and wishes the surviving relatives strength to cope with this major loss," the association said in the statement. No further details of the accident were released.

In December, van Mil was involved in a serious hiking accident in Australia where he reportedly was left unconscious for 24 hours after hitting his head on rocks. He sustained serious head injuries and received medical treatment for multiple fractures, hemorrhages and bleeding of the brain. Van Mil was cleared to play in January, and even helped lead the Australian Baseball League's Brisbane Bandits to a fourth straight championship.

Van Mil tied former Diamondbacks prospect Ryan Doherty as the tallest player in baseball history. The right-hander spent a decade pitching in the minor leagues, as a member of the Twins, Angels, Indians and Reds organizations. Outside of the U.S., he played professionally in Japan, the Dutch Major League and the Australian Baseball League. He also represented the Netherlands during the World Baseball Classic in 2013 and 2017. In the 2017 WBC, he faced Israel's Nate Freiman (6-8) in what was believed to be the tallest batter-pitcher matchup in baseball history. 

Van Mil had recently announced his retirement from baseball.