Ronny Garcia, who was selected as an international prospect for the Houston Astros in 2016, died in a motor vehicle accident in the Dominican Republic.
According to the report by E News, Ronny Garcia died in a traffic accident in Samaná, Dominican Republic, the team confirmed on social media. He was 24.
The Astros, who initially signed Ronny as an international prospect in 2016, added in their April 20 statement, “Our condolences go out to his family and friends.”
The pitcher, his father and one other person were killed in the crash, which involved two motorcycles, local newspaper Alertas Mundial reported, on the highway that connects Samaná with Las Galeras.
Throughout his eight-year career in professional baseball, Ronny pitched for a number of teams in the Dominican Republic and the United States. He recorded 200 strikeouts, and spent three seasons with the North Carolina-based Fayetteville Woodpeckers, a minor league affiliate of the Astros.
“We are saddened to learn of the passing of Ronny Garcia,” the team wrote in an April 20 post on X. “Ronny spent parts of three seasons with Fayetteville, always carrying a smile around the ballpark. He was a talented pitcher and a beloved teammate. Our thoughts are with his family during this difficult time.”
In February, Ronny had signed on to play for Pennsylvania’s York Revolution ahead of the 2024 season, and at the time team manager Rick Forney emphasized the skill he’d bring to the team.
“He’ll be a young bullpen arm for us,” Rick said in a press release. “I’m excited about him. He has really good career numbers. He’s an intriguing young pitcher.”