Original Mets Shortstop Félix Mantilla Passes Away at 90

Félix Mantilla, who was a part of the original New York Mets team in 1962, passed away on Friday at the age of 90.

Braves second baseman Felix Mantilla (18) relays the ball to first after tagging out George Anderson of the Phillies in 1959. 1959 Press Photo Braves Felix Mantilla Tags Out Phillies Player Wisconsin / Journal Staff Photo, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

An original member of the New York Mets passed away over the weekend.

Mets PR legend Jay Horowitz said in a statement via Medium that shortstop Félix Mantilla, who was part of the original team in 1962, passed away on Friday at the age of 90.

The Hall of Fame remembers Braves, Mets, Red Sox and Astros infielder Félix Mantilla, who passed away at the age of 90.

Mantilla was one of five players, including Hall of Famer Hank Aaron, who integrated the South Atlantic League in 1953. pic.twitter.com/vDlUoC8Eyk

— National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum ⚾ (@baseballhall) January 12, 2025

“Sadly, their numbers keep dwindling,” Horowitz wrote. “With the passing of infielder Félix Mantilla over the weekend, there are only seven players left from the 1962 Original Mets.”

The seven remaining players on that 1962 Mets ballclub are pitchers Craig Anderson, Galen Cisco, and Jay Hook, infielders Cliff Cook, Rick Herrscher, and Jim Marshall, and outfielder John DeMerit.

Mantilla, who was born in Puerto Rico on July 29, 1934, originally started his major league career with the then-Milwaukee Braves; he spent six seasons with them and helped the Braves win the 1957 World Series.

The shortstop was eventually selected by the Mets in the 1962 expansion draft. In 141 games for the Amazins', Mantilla batted .275/.330/.399 with 11 home runs and 59 RBI.

After just one season in New York, Mantilla was traded during the 1962 Winter Meetings to the Boston Red Sox, where he spent the next three seasons of his career and was selected to his first and only All-Star Game in 1965.

Mantilla's final season in the major leagues came with the Houston Astros in 1966, where he called it a career at 31 years old.

In 11 seasons, Mantilla batted .261/.329/.403 with 89 home runs, 330 RBI and a .732 OPS.