CARACAS (AP) — Venezuelan Jesús Montero, who once graced the fields with the New York Yankees and Seattle Mariners, succumbed to injuries following a vehicular mishap in his homeland, authorities confirmed on Sunday. He was 35 years old.
The former catcher was involved in a motorcycle collision with a truck on October 4. Despite being hospitalized in critical condition since the accident, he could not survive the extensive injuries, according to officials.
“Venezuelan baseball mourns the loss of Jesús Montero, whose legacy of dedication and love for the sport endures,” announced the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League in a statement shared on X. “Today, we grieve his loss, yet also celebrate his contributions: every home run that thrilled the crowd, every moment he represented our nation with pride, and every young dreamer he inspired by proving that aspirations can become reality.”
The league did not disclose additional information.
The tragic event stunned the nation, prompting a flood of emotional tributes across social media platforms.
Montero’s major league career included 18 games with the Yankees in 2011 and 208 appearances with the Mariners, concluding in 2015.
In his brief major league career, he batted .253, hit 28 home runs and had 104 RBI.
In 2016, while still in the Toronto Blue Jays’ minor league system, he was suspended 50 games after testing positive for dimethyl butylamine, a stimulant that helps combat fatigue. It was Montero’s second suspension for violating anti-doping regulations after a 50-game ban in 2013.
In the Venezuelan Winter League, he played six seasons with the Navegantes del Magallanes, Cardenales de Lara, and Águilas del Zulia. He retired at age 31 after the 2020-2021 season.
