The Kansas City Royals regretfully announce the passing of Yordano Ventura, who perished in a car accident last night in the Dominican Republic. There are no details available at this time regarding the accident that claimed the life of the 25-year old Ventura.

 
“Our prayers right now are with Yordano’s family as we mourn this young man’s passing,” said Dayton Moore, Royals’ Senior VP of Baseball Operations and General Manager. “He was so young and so talented, full of youthful exuberance and always brought a smile to everyone he interacted with. We will get through this as an organization, but right now is a time to mourn and celebrate the life of Yordano.”

 
Ventura spent his entire professional career in the Royals’ organization after signing as a non-drafted free agent in 2008 and debuting for the club on September 17, 2013. He pitched in two World Series (2014, 2015) with Kansas City, helping the franchise win their second World Series championship in 2015. He held a 38-31 career record in 94 games and 93 starts at the Major League level, while he also made nine postseason starts before the age of 25.