Former MLB player Jesús Montero dies in Venezuela two weeks after motorcycle crash

CARACAS (AP) – Jesús Montero, a Venezuelan who once played for the New York Yankees and Seattle Mariners, has died following a traffic accident in his country two weeks ago, officials said Sunday. He was 35.

The former catcher’s motorcycle reportedly crashed into a truck on Oct. 4 and he had been hospitalized ever since in critical condition. He was unable to recover from multiple injuries, authorities said.

“Venezuelan baseball sadly bids farewell to Jesús Montero … leaving behind a legacy of effort and passion for the game,” the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League said in a statement posted Sunday on X. “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 league did not provide further details.

The accident had shocked the South American country, with numerous outpourings of grief posted on social media.

Montero played 18 games for the Yankees in the 2011 season. He played 208 games with the Mariners, ending 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.