JOSE FERNANDEZ, ONE of baseball’s brightest stars, was killed in boating accident early on Sunday morning. He was 24.
Fernandez’s team the Miami Marlins announced his death, and the US Coast Guard confirmed that he was one of three people killed in a boat crash off Miami Beach.
In the statement, the Marlins said they are “devastated by the tragic loss of José Fernández.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with his family at this very difficult time.”
A Coast Guard patrol boat spotted an overturned boat at 3.30am on a jetty near Government Cut. The bodies were discovered a short time later.
The 32-foot vessel had a “severe impact” with a jetty, an official with the investigating team said.
Fernandez was a two-time All-Star and winner of the National League’s Rookie of the Year award in 2013.
Born in Santa Clara, Cuba, he tried to defect at least three times — landing in jail after one of those unsuccessful tries — before eventually getting to the US and going to high school in Tampa, Florida.
The Marlins drafted him in 2011 and Fernandez was playing Major League Baseball within two years.
The Marlins’ game at home against the Atlanta Braves on Sunday has been cancelled.
It's all here: the audacious talent. The unflinching charisma. RIP. pic.twitter.com/xOJ5Q1GKdP
— Ben Reiter (@BenReiter) September 25, 2016
– Associated Press
