25-Year-Old Kansas City Pitcher Yordano Ventura Dies in Car Accident
Ventura helped lead the Royals to a World Series in 2015.
— -- Yordano Ventura, a former top prospect who played an important role in delivering the Kansas City Royals their first World Series championship in three decades in 2015, died in a car accident in the Dominican Republic, according to his team.
Ventura, whose fiery personality on the field matched his high velocity fastball, was only 25-years-old at the time of his death.
"The Kansas City Royals regretfully announce the passing of Yordano Ventura, who perished in a car accident last night in the Dominican Republic," the Kansas City Royals said in a statement, adding that no further details were available regarding the accident that claimed Ventura's life.
Dayton Moore, Royals' Senior VP of Baseball Operations and General Manager, said the club was praying for Ventura's family.
"Our prayers right now are with Yordano’s family as we mourn this young man’s passing,” Moore said in the team's 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 an an organization, but right now is a time to mourn and celebrate the life of Yordano.”
Ventura, nicknamed "Ace," after the 1994 comedy "Ace Ventura: Pet Detective," was born in Juan Adrián, a town in the Dominican Republic, and was part of a wave of Major League Baseball stars that have emerged from that Caribbean nation over the last few decades to help reshape the face of the sport.
During the 2014 World Series, which the Royals ultimately lost to the San Francisco Giants, Ventura paid tribute to the late Cardinals outfielder Oscar Taveras with a handwritten message reading “RIP O.T. #18” on his hat for the start of Game 6 of the World Series that year. Taveras, a highly-touted baseball prospect, also died in a car accident, prior to the game.
The Taveras tribute game was arguably Ventura's finest moment, as he pitched through his emotions and led his team to victory, throwing seven shutout innings for the win.
Ventura finished his career with a record of 38-31.