Tragic detail emerges in death of baseball great Brett Gardner’s 14-year-old son Miller

Tragic details have emerged following the death of New York Yankees champion Brett Gardner’s teenage son Miller on a family holiday.

Gardner, 41, and his wife Jessica announced the 14-year-old’s death via the Yankees on Sunday (Monday AEDT).

Miller became ill alongside several other relatives on the trip, the family said.

It now appears the boy died by asphyxia “after a possible intoxication after apparently ingesting some food”, an official with Costa Rica’s Judicial Investigative Agency told NBC News.

The official, Juan Pablo Alvarado Garcia, said the cause of death is preliminary, and authorities are awaiting an autopsy and toxicology analysis.

He confirmed Miller’s body was found on Friday in a hotel room in Manuel Antonio, a popular resort area on the country’s Pacific Coast.

The Gardner family had said Miller “passed away peacefully in his sleep”.

“Miller was a beloved son and brother and we cannot yet comprehend our life without his infectious smile,” they said.

“He loved football, baseball, golf, hunting, fishing, his family and his friends. He lived life to the fullest every single day.”

The Gardners thanked “all who have reached out to offer support and encouragement during this difficult time”, extending their prayers to their son’s friends, teammates and “all other families who have lost a child far too soon as we share their grief”.

A former outfielder, Brett Gardner spent his 14-season baseball career with the Yankees.

He was part of the team when it won its last World Series in 2009, just a year after he made his MLB debut.

In the team’s own statement, the Yankees described Miller Gardner as having “a spark in his eyes, an outgoing and feisty personality, and a warm and loving nature”.

“Words feel insignificant and insufficient in trying to describe such an unimaginable loss,” the Yankees said on social media.

“It wasn’t just Brett who literally grew up in this organisation for more than 17 years — so did his wife, Jessica, and their two boys, Hunter and Miller.”

- with 7NEWS