Minnesota Twins bench coach Mike Bell dies of kidney cancer

Mike Bell, former Minnesota Twins bench coach and brother of Cincinnati Reds manager David Bell, died Friday of kidney cancer. He was 46 years old.

"Our Reds family is overwhelmed with sadness for the Bells as they mourn the loss of Mike," said Reds CEO Bob Castellini in a statement. "This great baseball family blessed thousands of people over the 70 years it has devoted to our game."

Bell took an indefinite leave from the Twins coaching staff last month. He had surgery to remove a growth on Jan. 28, shortly after being diagnosed with the disease.

He made his Major League Baseball debut as a player with the Cincinnati Reds in July 2000.

The Bell family was a dynasty within the Reds organization. Mike and David's grandfather, Gus Bell, played for the Reds from 1953 to 1961 and would later be inducted into the team's Hall of Fame. Their father, Buddy, wore the uniform as a player between 1985 and 1988 and later became a vice president with the team.

Both Mike and David graduated from Moeller High School.