Jesus Montero, a former top prospect for the New York Yankees, has died after a motorcycle crash earlier this month. He was 35 years old.
The New York Yankees announced the news on X on Sunday afternoon. The Seattle Mariners and Major League Baseball also issued statements on social media confirming the news.
According to a GoFundMe campaign, Montero was involved in a serious motorcycle accident. He sustained “multiple fractures in his leg, several broken ribs, and severe lung and organ injuries.” The former MLB player underwent surgery to stabilize his leg as doctors kept him in an induced coma.
The campaign organizers said in an update that Montero remained in the ICU. They said that his kidneys had not responded to the dialysis treatment and that he still needed to undergo a complex chest surgery.
“The Yankees are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Jesús Montero,” the team posted on Sunday. “We send our sincerest condolences to his family & loved ones.”
Montero made his debut for the Yankees in 2011 after hitting 21 home runs in Triple-A play. He played in 18 games for the New York team and helped it win an AL East Division title. Montero posted a posted a .996 OPS (on-base percentage) with four home runs and 12 RBI (runs batted in).
The Yankees ultimately traded Montero to the Mariners after the 2011 season. He spent four seasons in the Pacific Northwest and played in 208 games as a catcher, first baseman, and designated hitter. Montero hit 24 home runs and posted 92 RBI. He delivered a .668 OPS with the team.
Montero last appeared in an MLB game in 2015. He competed in the 2016 Triple-A Home Run Derby and advanced as far as the second round while hitting 12 home runs.
“We are deeply saddened by the passing of former Mariner Jesús Montero,” the Mariners said in a Sunday statement. “Our hearts go out to his family, friends and loved ones.”
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