Cleveland Indians: Former Indians Infielder Andy Marte Dies in Car Crash

Former Cleveland Indians top prospect Andy Marte died in a car crash in the Dominican Republic early this morning.

Baseball fans woke up to some rough news Sunday morning, as two deaths were reported out of the Dominican Republic.

Yordano Ventura‘s name is the most recognizable of the two, as he was a rising star for the Kansas City Royals. He was just 25 years old.

Andy Marte is a name remembered by Cleveland Indians fans, as he was a top prospect in the organization after being acquired from the Boston Red Sox in 2006. He never panned out to be a star, but was still a fixture on the roster in the late 2000s.

As with most players, Indians fans can often associate a specific moment that comes to mind when hearing a certain player’s name.

For me, Andy Marte’s name brings up a July 29, 2010 game when the Indians were getting crushed by the New York Yankees. It was my birthday, and the Indians were not giving any fans in the stadium much to cheer about.

But then Marte came on to pitch the ninth inning, and did better than any pitcher had done all night. He retired the side, which included him striking out future Indian Nick Swisher. It was a moment that may not have mattered much in the grand scheme of the season, but it is something I, and other fans, will never forget as a positive moment for a player gone too soon.

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We here at Wahoo’s on First send out our thoughts and prayers to all those affected by the losses of Andy Marte and Yordano Ventura.