UPDATE: Former Major League Baseball catcher Jesús Montero has tragically passed away at the age of 35 following a devastating motorcycle accident in Venezuela. Officials confirmed the news on Sunday, revealing that Montero had been in critical condition since the accident on October 4, 2023.
Montero, who played for the New York Yankees and the Seattle Mariners, suffered severe injuries after his motorcycle collided with a truck. Despite receiving medical care, he was unable to recover, leading to an outpouring of grief across the baseball community.
“Venezuelan baseball sadly bids farewell to Jesús Montero… leaving behind a legacy of effort and passion for the game,”
said the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League in a heartfelt statement on social media. The league continued,
“Today, baseball mourns his passing. But it also remembers him with gratitude: for every home run that thrilled the fans, for every day in which he proudly defended his country’s colors, and for every young person who saw in him an example that dreams can be achieved.”
The news has sent shockwaves throughout Venezuela, where fans and fellow players have taken to social media to express their sorrow and pay tribute to Montero’s contributions to the sport. He played a total of 18 games for the Yankees in the 2011 season and 208 games for the Mariners until his last MLB appearance in 2015. Over his brief career, he batted .253, hit 28 home runs, and recorded 104 RBIs.
Montero’s path was not without controversy; in 2016, while part of the Toronto Blue Jays minor league system, he faced a 50-game suspension for testing positive for dimethyl butylamine, a stimulant. This was his second suspension for violating anti-doping regulations, following a similar ban in 2013.
In addition to his MLB career, Montero made a significant impact in the Venezuelan Winter League, playing for teams such as the Navegantes del Magallanes, Cardenales de Lara, and Águilas del Zulia over six seasons. He retired at the age of 31 after the 2020-2021 season.
As the baseball community comes to terms with this heartbreaking loss, fans and players alike will remember Montero not just for his statistics, but for the passion he brought to the game and the inspiration he provided to aspiring athletes. The immediate impact of his passing is felt deeply as tributes continue to flood social media.
The investigation into the circumstances of the accident remains ongoing as authorities work to provide clarity on this tragic event. Stay tuned for further updates on this developing story.
