Royals right-hander Yordano Ventura, 25, killed in car crash
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1:25 PM ET
ESPN.com news services

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Royals pitcher Yordano Ventura, whose electric arm and confident demeanor helped lead his long-suffering team to the 2015 World Series title, died in a car crash in his native Dominican Republic early Sunday. He was 25.

With the fitting nickname of "Ace," Ventura burst onto the baseball scene with a 100 mph fastball and an explosive attitude to match. He was a fierce competitor always willing to challenge hitters inside, then deal with the ramifications when they decided to charge the mound.

EDITOR'S PICKS

MLB community mourns deaths of Yordano Ventura and Andy Marte
Mike Trout and Andrew McCutchen were among a number of MLB players to express their condolences over the deaths of Royals pitcher Yordano Ventura and former MLB infielder Andy Marte on Sunday.

From The Mag: How Yordano Ventura went from 'the kid' to 'the man'
Royals right-hander Yordano Ventura started Opening Day and will start Game 1 of the ALDS against the Astros. But between the brawls and a demotion, it hasn't been an easy path.

Ex-major leaguer Marte dies in car crash
Former major league infielder Andy Marte died Sunday morning in a car crash in his native Dominican Republic, Marte's agency announced. He was 33.
Not surprisingly, he quickly became a fan favorite as Kansas City embraced baseball once again.

"Our prayers right now are with Yordano's family as we mourn this young man's passing," Royals general manager Dayton Moore said in a statement. "He was so young and so talented, full of youthful exuberance and always brought a smile to everyone he interacted with. We will get through this as an organization, but right now is a time to mourn and celebrate the life of Yordano."

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. Mateo did not say whether Ventura was driving.

Also Sunday, former major league infielder Andy Marte died in a separate car accident in the Dominican Republic. Metropolitan traffic authorities said he died about 95 miles north of Santo Domingo.

"We are deeply saddened to learn of the tragic passing of Andy Marte and Yordano Ventura," players union executive Tony Clark said. "It's never easy to lose a member of our fraternity, and there are no words to describe the feeling of losing two young men in the prime of their lives. Our thoughts and prayers go out to their families, friends, teammates and fans throughout the United States and Latin America."

Marte played his final career MLB game on Aug. 6, 2014, against the Royals. He appeared as a pinch hitter in the ninth inning, facing Greg Holland, and struck out to end the game. The winning pitcher for the Royals that day was Ventura, who allowed two runs in six innings as the starter. The two did not face each other in the game.

"Two unfortunate losses, not only for Dominican Republic, but for the whole Latin America people," Tigers slugger Miguel Cabrera told ESPNDeportes.com.

"I feel a lot of sadness because they were friends of mine. I'm sending my condolences to their families. The whole baseball world is in mourning," Cabrera added.

Ventura is the second young pitching star to die in the past four months. Marlins ace Jose Fernandez was among three men killed in a boating accident in late September, when the 24-year-old pitcher's boat crashed into a jetty off Miami Beach in the early morning hours.

Ventura went 14-10 with a 3.20 ERA in 2014, his first full season in the big leagues, and helped the long-downtrodden Royals reach the World Series for the first time since 1985. He proceeded to dominate San Francisco in both of his starts, though the Royals would ultimately lose in seven games.


Yordano Ventura threw seven shutout innings for the Royals in Game 6 of the 2014 World Series, just two days after his friend and top Cardinals prospect Oscar Taveras was killed in car accident. Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
In an eerie coincidence, Ventura paid tribute to his friend and countryman, Cardinals outfielder Oscar Taveras, with a handwritten message on his cap during Game 6. Taveras also was killed in a car accident in the Dominican Republic, and his funeral occurred just hours before Ventura stepped on the mound. Ventura wore a cap with "RIP O.T #18" written on it for his start in which he threw seven shutout innings in a 10-0 win.

"From the minute that I found out about Oscar, I said this game was going to be dedicated to him," an emotional Ventura said then.

The following year, firmly entrenched in the rotation, Ventura helped lead Kansas City back to the World Series, pitching well in two starts against Toronto in the AL Championship Series. The Royals went on to beat the New York Mets in five games to win their second championship.

Not surprisingly, the Royals moved quickly to sign their burgeoning young ace to a five-year contract through the 2019 season that included two more options that could have kept him in Kansas City.

He wound up pitching his entire career for the Royals, going 38-31 with a 3.89 ERA.

Ventura had a fastball that averaged 96 mph, and he used it often. He was suspended nine games this past season -- later reduced to eight games on appeal -- after he hit Orioles slugger Manny Machado in the back with a 99 mph fastball on June 7. Machado charged the mound and punched Ventura in the head as the benches emptied.

Born June 3, 1991, in Samana, Dominican Republic, Ventura represented a true rags-to-riches story. He quit school at 14 and was laboring on a construction crew to support his family when he heard about a tryout, which led to a spot in the Royals' academy located on his island home.

Still, the odds were long that Ventura would ever make it to the big leagues. Very few players from the Dominican academies reach the pinnacle of the sport.

But over time, Ventura was able to harness one of the most electric fastballs that scouts had seen in years, and his headstrong and confident nature was essential in his rapid rise. He made his big league debut to great fanfare in 2013, allowing just one run against Cleveland in a sign of things to come.

He eventually became a cornerstone of a youth movement that included young stars such as first baseman Eric Hosmer and third baseman Mike Moustakas, one that carried the Royals first to respectability, then to the top of the American League -- rare heights the organization had not experienced in decades.

Hosmer and Moustakas were among many in the baseball community to express their sorrow via Twitter on Sunday:

Andy Marte dies at 33 in car crash
1:35 PM ET
ESPN.com news services

Former major league infielder Andy Marte was killed in a car crash in the Dominican Republic, the agency that represented him announced Sunday.

Metropolitan traffic authorities say Marte died early Sunday morning when the Mercedes Benz he was driving hit a house along a road between San Francisco de Macoris and Pimentel, about 95 miles north of Santo Domingo, the capital.

Kansas City Royals pitcher Yordano Ventura also was killed in a separate car crash in the Dominican Republic on Sunday morning.

J.M.G. Baseball, which represented Marte, confirmed his death in a tweet.

V
Marte was playing winter league baseball for Las Aguilas Cibaenas.


Marte's final major league appearance came in a game started by Ventura. According to Baseball Reference, Marte appeared as a pinch hitter on Aug. 6, 2014,


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Marte was considered a top prospect when he signed with the Atlanta Braves in 2000 but never translated his potential to major league success. He played both first base and third base in the majors and had a .218 batting average with 21 home runs and 99 RBIs in seven seasons for the Diamondbacks, Braves and Cleveland Indians.

ESPNdeportes' Enrique Rojas and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

RIP, Andy
Another phenom that failed for the Indians.

MOY

Andrew Miller and Dellin Betances

Sorry to read the news on Marte. All indications were that he was a good guy, just not a success as a baseball player.

Not the most professional baseball website, Bleacher Reports ranks the Indians' starting rotation as No. 2 and Indians' offense as No. 1. [the latter does include assumption that Brantley plays]
Another cite lists Encarnacion signing as the No. 2 winter surprise.

It looks like we're going to be blessed with high expectations this year.

This edition of Baseball America's baseball obits include a couple Indians of my youth:

Russ Nixon, LH hitting catcher, who shared the job with Dick Brown, at the end of the 50s and start of the 60s
Marlon Coughtry: anyone else remember him? IF on the Tribe in 1962. Checking his Cleveland stats it turns out he had all of 3 at bats with a hit plus a walk for a fine career Indians OPS of 833.

Buster OlneyVerified account ‏@Buster_ESPN 3h3 hours ago

Source: Indians closing in on an agreement with Austin Jackson. Would give them RHed hitting center fielder they've been looking for.

Bruce Kluckhohn/USA TODAY Sports
Tribe signs Austin Jackson to minor league deal
John Alfes
JOHN ALFES
4:51 PM
In light of Rajai Davis' departure, the Cleveland Indians have added OF Austin Jackson as an outfield insurance piece and potential CF platoon candidate. The IBI's John Alfes details the club's latest minor league signing...

A former member of two divisional foes has officially booked his flight for Cleveland.
Previously playing for the Detroit Tigers and Chicago White Sox, Austin Jackson will continue his MLB quest aboard the American League Central Division ship.
The Cleveland Indians signed the 29-year-old outfielder to a minor league deal worth $1.5 million with $4 million in potential incentives on Wednesday afternoon, according to ESPN's Buster Olney and MLB Network's Jon Heyman.
The center fielder figures to have an opportunity at the big league level if he can fend off a left knee surgery in June that sidelined him for the majority of the 2016 campaign. Aside from his medial meniscus tear, Jackson finished the year with a .254/.318/.343 slash line in 54 games with the White Sox. Now in the prime of his career, the injury-riddled Jackson could make an immediate impact once more with valuable experience at all three outfield positions.
Jackson was originally drafted by the New York Yankees in the 8th round of the 2005 draft before logging MLB service time with the Tigers, Mariners, Cubs and White Sox from 2010-16. The journeyman outfielder has two Defensive Player of the Year awards and 108 career stolen bases at the top of his resume. Most notably, Jackson has notched as many as 16 home runs (2012) and 27 stolen bases (2010) in a single season.
Tribe fans remember Jackson from his days patrolling center field in Detroit when he gunned down Kosuke Fukudome at the plate in a game-saving ninth inning spectacle on Aug. 21, 2011.
If the healthy Jackson can showcase his defensive flair and impressive combination of power and speed this spring, then he could very well rack up his contract's incentives and a platoon spot alongside Tyler Naquin in center field for 2017.
The agreement between the two parties also entails an opt-out clause taking place at the end of spring training.
John Alfes has covered the Indians for IBI since August of 2016. Follow him on Twitter @JohnAlfes for breaking news and in-depth coverage all season long.

Chances for Yandy are improving daily. Not too impressed with Jackson.

Unless injured Jackson will make the team.

The Cleveland Indians signed the 29-year-old outfielder to a minor league deal worth $1.5 million with $4 million

That $1.5 M must be if he called up to the big club. Can't be paying a minor leaguer big bucks like that.

2019 all star game to be in Cleveland!

Jackson contract gives him his release at the end of spring training if he doesn't make the club, i.e. if Brantley is healthy, Jackson goes.