Kansas City Royals pitcher Yordano Ventura and former MLB infielder Andy Marte were killed in separate car crashes in the Dominican Republic on Sunday morning, according to reports.
There were few immediate details into either man’s death. Marte, 33, died after a car he was driving hit a house, about 95 miles north of Santo Domingo, ESPN reported, citing metropolitan traffic authorities.
A highway patrol spokesman, reached by The Associated Press, said Ventura, 25, was killed on a highway leading to the town of Juan Adrian, about 40 miles northwest of Santo Domingo. It’s not clear if he was the one driving.
“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 spent his entire professional career with the Royals after signing with them as a non-drafted free agent in 2008. He debuted for the club in 2013 and went on to pitch in two World Series games in 2014 and 2015.
Marte last played in the majors with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2014. His last two seasons were played with the KT Wiz of the Korean Baseball Organization.
J.M.G. Baseball, which represented Marte, joined the Royals, Diamondbacks and several other MLB teams in expressing its heartbreak on social media.