Miami Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez has died in a boat crash at the age of 24.
According, the US Coast Guard Jose Fernandez was one of three people killed in the crash on September 25, off Miami Beach, Florida.
The baseball team said it was “devastated”. Marlins’s home game against the Atlanta Braves on September 25 was canceled.
Jose Fernandez was born in Santa Clara, in Cuba, and defected to Florida when he was 16, after three failed attempts. He made his debut for the Marlins in 2013.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Chief Todd Garofalo told local news station WSVN: “They found a boat that was up against the jetties. They did do an initial search and they found three victims – two on top of the water, one underneath the boat and they had unfortunately passed away.”
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said the 32-foot vessel had a “severe impact” with large rocks that form part of the jetty.
According to officials, Jose Fernandez was not wearing a life vest at the time of the crash.
The names of the other two individuals are being withheld until their relatives can be informed, the Coast Guard said.
Jose Fernandez shared a picture on Instagram five days ago which appears to show his girlfriend Carla Mendoza pregnant.
The caption reads: “I’m so glad you came into my life. I’m ready for where this journey is gonna take us together. #familyfirst.”
The Major League Baseball organization released a statement saying it was “stunned and devastated” by the news.
Jose Fernandez was the club’s first-round draft pick in 2011 and was finishing up on his finest season in the major league, the Miami Herald reported.
