Josh Peter and Bob Nightengale

USA TODAY Sports

Former major league pitcher Brad Halsey died after he fell or jumped from a 100-foot cliff near his Texas home, a judge who ordered the autopsy told USA TODAY Sports on Wednesday.

Halsey died from multiple blunt force injuries but the manner of his death is unknown at this time, said Judge Jennifer Saunders of Comal (Texas) County.

The body of Halsey, 33, was found around 1 p.m. Friday on a road in rural New Braunfels, Texas, and a detective with the Comal Sheriff's Office said the death is under investigation.

"It appeared that he had climbed up about a 100-foot cliff on a private property and was discovered in a little road going up into that property,'' Saunders said. "He had either jumped or fallen.''

Asked if Halsey appeared to have been trying to hurt himself, Saunders said only the investigation into his death is ongoing.

Halsey's mother, Loretta, said he had been living in New Braunfels and was active in baseball, but declined to provide additional information.

"I really would like to keep this private right now,'' she said.

A memorial service will be held Friday, she said.

A person close to Halsey's family told USA TODAY Sports earlier Wednesday that Halsey died in a recreational climbing accident.

The person spoke to USA TODAY Sports on condition of anonymity because details of Halsey's death had not yet been made public.​

​Halsey, who last pitched in the major leagues for the Oakland Athletics in 2006, was drafted and developed by the New York Yankees, and was part of a trade package that sent him to the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for Randy Johnson.

Halsey debuted in 2004 and shined in winning his first major league start, giving up two runs in 5 2/3 innings for the Yankees against the Los Angeles Dodgers. A week later, he started at Yankee Stadium against the Boston Red Sox in a game made famous by Derek Jeter's dive into the stands to catch a foul ball.

Halsey had just one win as a Yankee, as they traded him to the Diamondbacks - along with catcher Dioner Navarro and pitcher Javier Vazquez - in a deal for Johnson in January 2005.

Halsey gave up Barry Bonds' 714th career home run in 2006, pitching for the A's, his final season in the major leagues. Halsey pitched in independent leagues and most recently was back in the Yankees organization, reaching Class AA Trenton (N.J.) in 2011.

GALLERY: BRAD HALSEY