Jesús Montero, a once-promising baseball prospect who electrified the New York Yankees organization as a teenager before his career spiraled through injuries, scandal and personal struggles, died Sunday, October 19, 2025, at a hospital in Valencia, Venezuela. He was 35 years old.
The former catcher and designated hitter had been in an induced coma since Saturday, October 4, 2025, when his motorcycle collided with a pickup truck in Valencia. The accident left him with multiple leg fractures, several broken ribs and significant lung and organ damage. Despite undergoing surgery to stabilize his leg, Montero never recovered from his injuries.
“The Yankees are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Jesús Montero,” the team stated. “We send our sincerest condolences to his family and loved ones.”
The Seattle Mariners, where Montero spent the bulk of his major league career, expressed sorrow over the news, noting that their hearts went out to his family, friends and loved ones.
Montero arrived in professional baseball with extraordinary expectations. 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 proclaimed him the best Venezuelan hitting prospect since Miguel Cabrera, who would go on to become a future Hall of Famer.
The hype proved warranted as Montero dominated minor league pitching. By 2011, he had risen to become the Yankees’ top prospect and one of the most highly regarded young players in baseball. His September call-up that year seemed to validate every optimistic projection about his future.
In 18 regular season games with the Yankees, Montero demolished major league pitching with a .328 batting average, four home runs and a .996 OPS. He earned a spot on the postseason roster and went 2-for-2 in an ALDS game against the Detroit Tigers. During his second game with the Yankees against the Baltimore Orioles, he became only the second 21-year-old rookie since 1993 to hit two home runs in one game.
But that brief glimpse of stardom would represent the pinnacle of his career. In January 2012, the rotation-needy Yankees traded Montero to the Seattle Mariners as part of a package deal for pitcher Michael Pineda. Cashman understood the risk he was taking, acknowledging that Montero possessed a middle-of-the-lineup bat and praising his exceptional talent.
Montero’s performance in Seattle never matched his promise. In his first season with the Mariners, he appeared in 135 games, hitting 15 home runs with a .685 OPS while splitting time between catcher and designated hitter. His batting average had dropped considerably from his Yankees debut.
The 2013 season brought multiple setbacks. Montero tore his meniscus and required surgery. More damaging to his reputation, investigators linked him to the Biogenesis scandal, in which a Florida health clinic supplied athletes with performance-enhancing drugs. Montero accepted a 50-game suspension along with several other major league players, including Alex Rodriguez.
His troubles continued when he reported to the 2014 season overweight, leading to increased scrutiny about his conditioning and professionalism. A notorious incident occurred when a Mariners scout allegedly sent an ice cream sandwich to Montero in the dugout as a pointed commentary on his weight. Montero responded by confronting the scout and throwing the dessert.
Montero spent most of 2014 and 2015 in the minor leagues with the Tacoma Rainiers. His final appearance in a major league game came in October 2015. The Mariners designated him for assignment in March 2016, effectively ending his tenure with the organization. He finished his four-year stint in Seattle with 24 home runs, a .247 batting average and .668 OPS across 208 games.
The Toronto Blue Jays signed Montero to play for their Triple-A affiliate, the Buffalo Bisons, where he showed flashes of his earlier talent. However, he received a second 50-game suspension for another doping allegation in 2015, further derailing any hopes of a major league comeback.
In 2017, the Baltimore Orioles offered him a minor league contract after he served his second suspension, but released him midway through the season. Montero then moved to Mexico, signing with the Sultanes de Monterrey before joining the Generales de Durango in early 2018. Both teams released him within months.
Montero returned to Venezuela and played in the Venezuelan Winter League through the 2020-21 season, spending his final professional years with the Águilas del Zulia. The Venezuelan Professional Baseball League remembered him as having a powerful bat, an unforgettable presence and a heart that loved the game.
Notably, Montero was behind the plate on June 8, 2012, when six Seattle pitchers combined to throw a no-hitter against the Los Angeles Dodgers, one of the highlights of his time with the Mariners.
His family created a fundraising page after the October 4 accident, describing him as not only a great athlete but also a kind, generous and big-hearted man. They noted that those who knew him understood his strength and fighting spirit.
Montero is survived by his two children, Loren Alejandra, 11, and Jesus Alejandro, 10, whom he had with his ex-wife Taneth Gimenez. Gimenez posted photos of Montero with their children on social media, writing that she would keep the good memories tattooed on her soul.
