Jesús Montero, a former top baseball prospect once hailed as one of the game’s brightest young hitters, has died at 35 following a crash in his native Venezuela.

The New York Yankees confirmed his death on Sunday, Oct. 19, writing, “The Yankees are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Jesús Montero. We send our sincerest condolences to his family & loved ones.”

Local media reported that Montero died from injuries sustained in a motor vehicle crash earlier this month in Valencia, the capital of the country's Central Region.

Born Nov. 28, 1989, in Guacara, Venezuela, Montero was signed by the Yankees in 2006 as one of the most promising international prospects of his generation.

He debuted with New York in 2011, hitting .328 in 18 games, and was traded that winter to the Seattle Ma

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