Former MLB player Jesús Montero has died at the age of 35 following a traffic accident in his native Venezuela earlier this month.
Montero appeared in five MLB seasons, including four with the Seattle Mariners from 2012-15.
The former catcher’s motorcycle reportedly crashed into a truck on Oct. 4 and he had been hospitalized ever since in critical condition. He was unable to recover from multiple injuries, authorities said.
“Venezuelan baseball sadly bids farewell to Jesús Montero … leaving behind a legacy of effort and passion for the game,” the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League said in a statement posted Sunday on X. “Today, baseball mourns his passing. But it also remembers him with gratitude: for every home run that thrilled the fans, for every day in which he proudly defended his country’s colors, and for every young person who saw in him an example that dreams can be achieved.”
The New York Yankees, who Montero was originally signed by and made his MLB debut with, and Mariners both shared statements Sunday.
We are deeply saddened by the passing of former Mariner Jesús Montero. Our hearts go out to his family, friends and loved ones 💙 pic.twitter.com/0avxAWkrEX
— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) October 19, 2025
According to a GoFundMe page set up to help with Montero’s medical expenses, he had been placed in a medically induced coma after suffering multiple leg fractures, several broken ribs and severely compromised lungs and organs in the traffic accident near the city of Valencia.
Montero was a top prospect when the Mariners acquired the catcher alongside pitcher Héctor Noesí in a January 2012 trade from the Yankees for pitchers Michael Pineda and Jose Campos.
Montero was coming off an impressive brief stint in the majors in 2011, slashing .328/.406/.590 with four doubles and four homers in 18 games. He had a solid first season with the Mariners as a 22 year old in 2012, posting a .260/.298/.386 slash line with 20 doubles and 15 homers in 135 games.
Montero struggled for the rest of his time in the big leagues, though. He was sent down to Triple-A early in 2013 to make the move from catcher to first base. That process was interrupted by a knee injury, and Montero was later suspended 50 games for violating MLB’s drug program.
Montero remained in Seattle’s organization through 2015, making 35 appearances in the big leagues that season. He was designated for assignment before the start of the 2016 campaign and never appeared in another game in the majors.
In his major league career, Montero batted .253, hit 28 home runs and had 104 RBIs.
In 2016 while in the Toronto Blue Jays’ minor league system, Montero was suspended for 50 games again after testing positive for dimethyl butylamine, a stimulant that helps combat fatigue.
In the Venezuelan Winter League, Montero played six seasons with the Navegantes del Magallanes, Cardenales de Lara, and Águilas del Zulia. He retired at age 31 after the 2020-21 season.
This post includes contributions from The Associated Press.
