Jesus Montero, a former top prospect who spent time with the New York Yankees and Seattle Mariners, has died at the age of 35.
Montero had been hospitalized after a motorcycle accident in his native Venezuela earlier this month, via Mark W. Sanchez of the New York Post. The Yankees confirmed his death on X Sunday.
The Yankees are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Jesús Montero. We send our sincerest condolences to his family & loved ones. pic.twitter.com/jlfUpPmgMt
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) October 19, 2025
Montero was once regarded as one of the best prospects in the sport, on par with the likes of Bryce Harper and Mike Trout. The Yankees famously came close to trading him for pitcher Cliff Lee in 2010, but the deal was never consummated.
Montero’s best season came in 2012 with the Seattle Mariners, when he hit .260 with 15 home runs. In 2013, he was implicated in the Biogenesis scandal and suspended, and his career never recovered after that. His MLB tenure ended in 2016, when he was hit with a 50-game suspension for violating MLB’s PED policy.
In total, Montero played in 226 MLB games, where he hit .253 with 28 home runs. He had most recently played in the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League in 2021.
