CARACAS — Former MLB player Jesús Montero died Sunday at 35 after a motorcycle crash on October 4 in Venezuela, officials confirmed.
Montero’s motorcycle collided with a truck, resulting in critical injuries that led to his hospitalization. Authorities said he could not recover from his injuries.
The Venezuelan Professional Baseball League expressed their condolences in a statement, highlighting Montero’s contributions to the sport and the impact he had on young athletes. “Venezuelan baseball sadly bids farewell to Jesús Montero,” they said.
Details regarding the accident remain limited, but it has prompted an outpouring of grief across social media in Venezuela. Montero played 18 games for the New York Yankees in the 2011 season and 208 games with the Seattle Mariners through 2015. He recorded a career batting average of .253 with 28 home runs and 104 RBIs.
During his career, Montero faced two suspensions for violating anti-doping regulations, the last occurring in 2016 while with the Toronto Blue Jays organization. He played six seasons in the Venezuelan Winter League before retiring in 2021.
An investigation into the accident is ongoing.