Former Astros prospect Ronny Garcia lifeless in visitors accident

Houston Astros emblem sits in entrance of the stadium on the Astros spring coaching facility Fitteam Stadium of the Palm Seashores, in West Palm Seaside, Florida on Friday, February 14, 2020. The emblem exhibits their 2017 World Championship win. Picture by Gary I Rothstein/UPI | License Photo

April 21 (UPI) — Former baseball pitching prospect Ronny Garcia, 24, and his father, are lifeless following a visitors accident within the Dominican Republic, the Houston Astros confirmed late Saturday.

Garcia was a former prospect for the Astros, who signed him as a 16-year-old in 2016, a press release mentioned. He pitched with Houston’s associates within the Florida Gulf Coast League and sophistication A workforce that summer time.

“We’re deeply saddened by the passing of former Astros prospect, Ronny Garcia,” the Astros posted on the social media platform X. “Our condolences exit to his household and mates.”

Garcia and his father have been reportedly killed in a visitors accident involving two bikes on the Las Galeras-Samaná freeway in Samaná, Dominican Republic, in response to MLB reporter Hector Gomez.

Garcia additionally pitched for a number of minor league organizations after signing with the Astros, together with the Fayetteville Woodpeckers and the Asheville Vacationers, the place he performed as just lately as final yr.

“We’re saddened to be taught of the passing of Ronny Garcia. Ronny spent components of three seasons with Fayetteville, all the time carrying a smile across the ballpark,” the Woodpeckers wrote on X.

“He was a gifted pitcher and a beloved teammate. Our ideas are together with his household throughout this tough time.”

Gamers usually are not allowed to signal with skilled organizations within the U.S. till they graduate from highschool, in response to Major league Baseball, however the guidelines are completely different for worldwide draftees, and gamers from Latin American international locations routinely signal as younger as 16-years-old. They arrive to the U.S. and dwell at coaching academies, then return house within the low season, or when they aren’t at the moment on a workforce.