Jesús Montero, former MLB catcher, dies after accident in Venezuela

Jesús Montero, former MLB player, dies after traffic accident

Caracas – The Venezuelan baseball world and the international sports community mourn the passing of Jesús Montero, former catcher who left his mark in the Major Leagues. Montero, who played for the New York Yankees and the Seattle Mariners, lost his life at the age of 35 after a traffic accident that occurred in Venezuela. According to official reports, the accident involved a motorcycle and a truck on October 4th. Since then, Montero remained hospitalized in critical condition, failing to recover from the multiple injuries suffered.

“Venezuelan baseball mourns the departure of Jesús Montero… leaving a legacy of effort and passion for the game,” the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League announced through a statement.

LVBP

The news of Montero’s death has generated a wave of sadness and shock in the South American country, with numerous expressions of grief on social media. Jesús Montero had a prominent participation in the majors. In 2011, he played 18 games with the Yankees. Subsequently, he defended the colors of the Mariners in 208 games, until the year 2015. During his career in the Major Leagues, Montero accumulated a batting average of .253, hit 28 home runs and drove in 104 runs. In 2016, when he was still part of the Toronto Blue Jays’ minor league system, he was suspended for 50 games after testing positive for dimethylbutylamine, a stimulant. This was Montero’s second suspension for violating anti-doping regulations, following a 50-game ban in 2013. In the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League, Montero played six seasons with the Navegantes del Magallanes, Cardenales de Lara, and Águilas del Zulia teams. He retired at 31 years old, after the 2020-21 season.