KANSAS CITY ROYALS pitcher Yordano Ventura died Sunday after a car accident in his native Dominican Republic, the Major League Baseball team confirmed in a statement.
Ventura, 25, a member of the Royals pitching rotation during their 2015 World Series win, died early Sunday, the team said. No details of the accident were immediately available.
Ventura’s death came on the same day that former major league player Andy Marte died in a separate car crash, also in the Dominican Republic, according to US media reports.
“Our prayers right now are with Yordano’s family as we mourn this young man’s passing,” Royals general manager Dayton Moore said in a statement.
“He was so young and so talented, full of youthful exuberance and always brought a smile to everyone he interacted with. We will get through this as an organization, but right now is a time to mourn and celebrate the life of Yordano.”
Ventura, who made his MLB debut in 2013, enjoyed a break-out season in 2014, going 14-10. He forged a reputation as a power pitcher, hurling a 96.2 miles per hour fastball in 2014, the second fastest in the league. Overall he had a 38-31 record at Major League level.
