Jesús Montero, a former Major League Baseball player who once stood among the sport’s most promising prospects, died Sunday, October 19, 2025, two weeks after a devastating motorcycle collision in his native Venezuela. He was 35 years old.
The accident occurred on Saturday, October 4, 2025, when Montero’s motorcycle struck a pickup truck in Valencia, Venezuela. The impact left him with catastrophic injuries, including multiple leg fractures, several broken ribs, and significant damage to his lungs and internal organs. Medical staff at Ciudad Hospitalaria Dr. Enrique Tejera placed him in an induced coma, where he remained for 15 days before succumbing to his injuries.
The New York Yankees announced his death on Sunday, expressing deep sadness at the loss of their former prospect. The team extended sincere condolences to his family and loved ones.
Montero’s baseball journey began with extraordinary promise. The Yankees signed him as an international free agent in 2006 for $1.6 million when he was just 16 years old. General Manager Brian Cashman immediately recognized his potential, calling the Venezuelan teenager the best hitting prospect from his country since Miguel Cabrera, who would later become a future Hall of Famer.
After five years developing in the minor leagues, Montero made his major league debut in September 2011 as a call-up for the Yankees. His arrival generated considerable excitement, as he entered the big leagues ranked as the team’s top prospect and among the most highly regarded young players in baseball. At 21 years old, he made an immediate impact, appearing in 18 regular-season games and posting impressive statistics with a .328 batting average, four home runs, and a .996 on-base plus slugging percentage.
His debut season included a memorable performance against the Baltimore Orioles, when he became only the second 21-year-old rookie since 1993 to hit two home runs in a single game. The Yankees added him to their postseason roster, and he went 2-for-2 in his lone playoff appearance during an American League Division Series loss to the Detroit Tigers.
Despite his successful debut, the Yankees traded Montero to the Seattle Mariners in January 2012 as part of a deal to acquire pitcher Michael Pineda. Cashman acknowledged the difficulty of the decision at the time, noting that Montero possessed a middle-of-the-lineup bat and represented the type of player who could anchor an offense for years.
Montero’s tenure with Seattle proved challenging. During his first season with the Mariners in 2012, he played 135 games and hit 15 home runs while splitting time between catcher and designated hitter, though his batting average and overall production fell below expectations. He gained a notable distinction that year when he served as the catcher during a combined no-hitter against the Los Angeles Dodgers on June 8, with six Seattle pitchers collaborating on the historic achievement.
His career trajectory took a sharp downward turn in 2013 when he tore his left meniscus and required surgery. Investigators subsequently linked him to the Biogenesis scandal, in which a Florida health clinic supplied athletes with performance-enhancing drugs. Montero accepted a 50-game suspension for doping, joining several other players, including Alex Rodriguez, who faced similar penalties.
The following years brought continued struggles. He reported to the 2014 season overweight, leading to tensions with the organization. An incident that season involved a Mariners scout allegedly sending an ice cream sandwich to Montero in the dugout as a pointed comment about his weight. Montero confronted the scout with shouts and threw the dessert in response.
Montero appeared in his final major league game on October 3, 2015, with the Mariners. His four-year career with Seattle concluded with 24 home runs, a .247 batting average, and a .668 on-base plus slugging percentage across 208 games. The team designated him for assignment in March 2016.
He signed minor league contracts with the Toronto Blue Jays and Baltimore Orioles in subsequent years, but received a second 50-game suspension for doping allegations in 2016. By June 2017, he had departed affiliated baseball. His overall major league career statistics included 28 home runs, a .253 batting average, and 204 hits across 226 games.
Montero continued playing professionally in Mexico and Venezuela, appearing in his home country’s winter league as recently as the 2020-21 season. The Venezuelan Professional Baseball League paid tribute to him following his death, describing him as a powerful bat, an unforgettable presence, and a heart that loved the game.
A GoFundMe campaign created by his family on October 6 described him as not only a great athlete but also a kind, generous, and big-hearted man. Those who knew him understood his strength and fighting spirit, his family wrote, adding that he needed support to keep fighting off the field. An October 16 update indicated he had undergone successful leg surgery but still required complex chest surgery for his recovery.
Montero is survived by his two children, daughter Loren Alejandra, 11, and son Jesus Alejandro, 10, from his marriage to ex-wife Taneth Gimenez. She posted photos of Montero with their children on Instagram, writing that she would keep the good memories tattooed on her soul.
