Famed Dodgers Scout Mike Brito Dies at 87

Los Angeles Dodgers scout Mike Brito throws out a ceremonial first pitch before the game against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on July 3, 2016. Harry How/Getty Images

Mike Brito, the longtime Los Angeles Dodgers scout who discovered Fernando Valenzuela and dozens of other players, died on Thursday at age 87, the team announced.

Brito was part of the Dodgers’ organization for almost 45 years. For decades, he was a visible fixture behind home plate at Dodger Stadium, wearing a Panama hat and pointing a radar gun at the action.