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1999 All-Star catcher Goldbach killed

March 9, 2021

Sad news from North Carolina over the weekend: On Sunday night, Jeff Goldbach was allegedly shot and killed by a neighbor. Goldbach had been drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 2nd round out of high school in 1998. A year later, as a 19-year-old, he starred at catcher for

Sad news from North Carolina over the weekend: On Sunday night, Jeff Goldbach was allegedly shot and killed by a neighbor.

Goldbach had been drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 2nd round out of high school in 1998. A year later, as a 19-year-old, he starred at catcher for the Lugnuts, playing in 112 games and batting .271 with 27 doubles, 18 homers and an .866 OPS, and was honored as both a Mid-Season All-Star and the Midwest League's Post-Season All-Star Catcher. The 1999 Nuts led the Midwest League in attendance, outscored their opponents by 72 runs, finished in second place in the division with a 73-67 record, and were eliminated in the semi-finals from the playoffs.

Goldbach played in High-A Daytona in 2000, 2001 and 2002, rising to Double-A West Tenn for 32 games in 2001, followed by 36 games with Texas's Double-A affiliate in Frisco in 2003. Upon his release from affiliated ball, Goldbach played in the Northern League and the Frontier League, starring for his hometown Evansville Otters in 2005 and 2006. In 2005, playing in just 52 games, he broke the Otters' single season record with 19 home runs. In 2006, he slugged 21 doubles and 17 homers on his way to driving Evansville to its first league championship. According to the Frontier League's website, "After his baseball career, Goldbach earned a bachelor’s degree and an MBA from nearby Oakland City University. He was a business partner in a high-tech company in Greensboro, North Carolina."

Goldbach was 41 years old.