World Series champ pays tribute to 'best friend' Ryan Mallett following apparent drowning death

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Former Boston Red Sox third baseman Will Middlebrooks posted a heartfelt message to social media on Tuesday in honor of his "best friend," former NFL quarterback Ryan Mallett, who tragically died in an apparent drowning in Florida.  

"I lost my best friend today," Middlebrooks wrote in a tweet which included a series of pictures of the two over the years, including images of Mallett from his time with the New England Patriots.

Will Middlebrooks, #16 of the Boston Red Sox, swings at a pitch thrown by Matt Shoemaker #52 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in the seventh inning at Fenway Park on Aug. 21, 2014 in Boston. (Jim Rogash/Getty Images)

"Someone who has stuck by my side since we were just kids. The most competitive, hard headed, fun loving person I ever met. Nothing prepares you for this. I was lucky to have him for as long as I did. Rest in Love One-Five. We love you."

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According to the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, first responders were called to a beach in Destin, Florida, at around 2:12 p.m. after a man, later identified as Mallett, was pulled out from the water and was "not breathing." 

"A group of people in the water near the second sandbar had reportedly been struggling to make their way back to shore," law enforcement said in a news release. 

New England Patriots quarterback Ryan Mallett, #15, makes a pass in the first quarter against the Washington Redskins during a preseason NFL game at FedExField on Aug. 7, 2014 in Landover, Maryland. (Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

Despite the efforts of the first responders, Mallett was later pronounced dead at a