Photo Credit: Yordano Ventura Instagram
Kansas City Royals pitcher Yordano Ventura and former major leaguer Andy Marte died in separate car accidents early Sunday in their native Dominican Republic.
According to TMZ Sports, highway patrol spokesman Jacobo Mateo said Ventura died on a highway leading to the town of Juan Adrian, about 40 miles northwest of Santo Domingo. It was not clear if Ventura was driving. Photos of wreckage here.
Metropolitan traffic authorities say Marte died when the Mercedes Benz he was driving hit a house along a road between San Francisco de Macrois and Pimental, about 95 miles north of the capital.
With the nickname Ace Ventura, he was known for his electric fastball. Ventura was on the team when the Royals won the World Series in 2015, and he finished 6th in the Rookie of the Year vote in 2014.
The Royals confirmed Ventura’s death Sunday, saying “Our prayers right now are with Yordano’s family as we mourn this young man’s passing.”
As for Marte, he was a third basemen in the MLB for 14 years, having played with the Braves, Red Sox, Indians, and the Arizona Diamondbacks. Ventura started in Marte’s last professional game with the D-backs in 2014.
Ventura was 25 years old, Marte was 33.
