Former MLB prospect Ronny Garcia tragically passed away at the young age of 24 in a fatal accident that occurred in the Dominican Republic.
The heartbreaking incident, which took place this past Saturday on the Las Galeras-Samana highway, involved a collision between two motorcycles, claiming the lives of Ronny Garcia, his father, and another individual.
MLB insider Hector Gomez broke the devastating news, shedding light on the loss of Garcia, who once held promise as a highly-touted prospect in the Houston Astros organization.
The Astros confirmed Garcia’s passing, expressing profound sadness and extending condolences to his family and loved ones.
“We are deeply saddened by the passing of former Astros prospect, Ronny Garcia. Our condolences go out to his family and friends,” the Astros said in a statement.
Garcia’s baseball journey spanned seven years (2017-2023) in the minor league with the Astros organization.
Beginning his career with the Dominican Summer League affiliate, Garcia transitioned to the U.S. in 2021, where he excelled with an impressive ERA of 2.11 between the Florida Complex League and Class-A Fayetteville.
His success continued into the following years, solidifying his reputation as a promising relief pitcher.
“We are saddened to learn of the passing of Ronny García,” the Fayetteville Woodpeckers, a Carolina League team and the Single-A affiliate of the Astros, said in a statement.
“Ronny spent parts of three seasons with Fayetteville, always carrying a smile around the ballpark. He was a talented pitcher and a beloved teammate. Our thoughts are with his family during this difficult time.”
In 122 appearances, Garcia held an ERA of 3.42 over 186.2 innings pitched and was credited with 9 wins and 14 saves.
He allowed 170 hits, 71 earned runs, eight home runs and had a two-to-one strikeout-to-walk ratio (200 to 100).
In February of this year, Garcia embarked on a new chapter in his baseball career, joining the York Revolution of the Atlantic League.
York manager Rick Forney expressed optimism about Garcia’s potential, envisioning him as a valuable asset to the team’s bullpen.
“He’ll be a young bullpen arm for us,” Forney previously told ABC27 after he signed. “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.”
R.I.P. Ronny Garcia … Gone way too soon.