Jesús Montero, a former big-league catcher who appeared in parts of five Major League Baseball seasons, has died at 35, the New York Yankees confirmed on Sunday. Montero died after being involved in a motor vehicle accident in his native Venezuela, per local media .

Montero made his big-league debut in 2011 after a period of being recognized as one of the game's brightest young talents thanks to his potent offensive potential. Baseball America ranked him as one of the six best prospects in three consecutive springs, from 2010-12, and MLB.com 's 2011 scouting report noted that "he might be an offensive-minded Mike Piazza type, whose bat will help people forget about any defensive deficiencies."

Montero would appear in just 18 games with the Yankees, hitting .328/.406/.590 across 6

See Full Page