Atlanta Braves legend Bob Horner passes away at 68

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PHILADELPHIA, PA - CIRCA 1983: Bob Horner of the Atlanta Braves fielding against the Philadelphia Phillies at Veterans Stadium circa 1983 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Owen C. Shaw/Getty Images)

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ATLANTA - The Atlanta Braves announced Tuesday that legendary power hitter Bob Horner has died at the age of 68.

What we know:

Horner entered Major League Baseball as the first overall pick in the 1978 draft when he signed with the Atlanta Braves. He made history as the first Braves draft pick to skip the minor leagues completely and debut straight with the big league team.

The infielder stayed with the Braves for nine seasons until 1986, became a National League All-Star in 1982, and finished his 10-season career with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1988 after a stint playing in Japan. Over 1,020 career games, he hit .277 with 218 home runs and an .839 OPS, famously teaming up with Dale Murphy as a power-hitting duo for nearly 10 years.

Horner achieved one of baseball's rarest feats on July 6, 1986, when he hit four home runs in a single game. Despite his historic multi-homer performance, the Braves lost the game to the Montreal Expos. At the time, Horner was just the ninth player since 1900 to do so, according to the MLB. 

He also put up impressive numbers during his first year in the league. He won the National League Rookie of the Year award in 1978 after jumping straight from Arizona State University to the majors.

What they're saying:

The baseball community is mourning the loss of the legendary player following the team's announcement.

"The Atlanta Braves extend sincere sympathies to his wife, Chris, two sons, Tyler and Trent, and his numerous friends and fans across the game," the Braves said in a statement.

What we don't know:

Horner's official cause of death has not been publicly disclosed. 

Dig deeper:

Horner’s passing follows the recent losses of other foundational figures within the baseball franchise.

Former team owner Ted Turner recently died, as did Hall of Fame manager Bobby Cox, who famously led the Braves to a World Series championship in 1995.

Both Cox and Turner held their leadership roles with the team when Horner first debuted in the major leagues.