Former Houston Astros pitching prospect Ronny Garcia, 24, and his father were killed in a traffic accident in their native Domincan Republic on Friday. Hector Gomez of Z101 Digital was first to report the news. The Houston Astros confirmed it on their official Twitter/X account Saturday:
Yahoo Sports reported the accident involved two motorcycles on the Las Galeras-Samaná highway in Samaná, Dominican Republic.
Garcia became a free agent after last season, his eighth in the Astros organization, and signed with the independent York Revolution in February. In 122 minor league games, mostly as a reliever, Garcia went 9-15 with a 3.42 ERA.
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The Tourists and Woodpeckers posted remembrances to their official Twitter/X accounts in response to Garcia’s death:
The York Revolution were planning on using Garcia as a versatile relief pitcher, according to manager Rick Forney in a recent interview.
“He’ll be a young bullpen arm for us,” Forney told ABC27. “I’m excited about him. He has really good career numbers. He’s an intriguing young pitcher. I’m hoping I can get him to be more than just a one-inning guy, maybe a bridge-type guy in the sixth or seventh inning. I’m excited to get my eyes on him.”
Sadly, Garcia’s death is the latest in a string of automobile accidents that has claimed the lives of prominent Dominican players over the last decade. Highly touted St. Louis Cardinals prospect Oscar Taveras was a major league rookie when he was killed in a 2014 crash at age 22. Kansas City Royals pitcher Yordano Ventura and journeyman infielder Andy Marte both died in separate accidents on the same day in 2017.
