Jesús Montero Is Dead at 35 — Former Yankees, Mariners Catcher Was Involved in an Accident

Following the sudden death of Jesús Montero at the age of 35, social media was awash with videos of the former Yankees catcher playing the sport that he loved. "I remember being so excited for Jesús Montero being called up to the big leagues," wrote one person on X. Jesús made his MLB debut in 2011 with the Yankees. He went on to hit four home runs that September. It's no wonder fans were so excited to welcome him onto the field at Yankee Stadium.

Two years before he was called up to the big leagues, Jesús said in an interview that all he does is try his best all the time. Every day is about working hard and focusing. He was 19 years old at the time, but already had the mindset needed to make it as a professional baseball player. Sixteen years after that interview, Jesús was killed in a tragic accident. Here's what we know about his cause of death.

According to a post to X from the Venezuelan outlet Líder en Deportes, Jesús died following what they called a traffic accident. The Yankees confirmed Jesús' death to the New York Post who reported the accident occurred Oct. 4, 2025 in Valencia Venezuela.

Jesús's motorcycle collided with a pickup truck, which resulted in seven different injuries. He was put into a medically-induced coma at Valencia City Hospital, but died soon after. "The Yankees are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Jesús Montero," they wrote on X, sending their condolences to Jesús' family and friends.

Memories of Jesús' time with The Yankees were revisited in the replies beneath the team's post. "I was at the game in which he hit his first two Major League home runs," wrote self-described die hard Yankees fan Russ Gardiner, adding that it was the first game he ever attended at Yankee Stadium.

Jesús started strong with The Yankees where, in 2011, he was considered to be their No. 1 prospect. It had only been five years since he signed a $1.6 million deal as an international free agent, and Jesús was ready for the big leagues. At the end of his first season, he hit .328 and posted a .996 OPS.

Because Jesús had so much promise and was already loved by the fans, it was quite a shock when he was traded to the Seattle Mariners so the New York team could snag Michael Pineda. At a press conference following this decision, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said, "It’s not easy to make these decisions, but I know I’m excited about what I’m getting."

During his second season in Seattle, Jesús tore his meniscus, an injury that would have been enough to devastate any player. He added insult to actual injury by way of his implied involvement in the Biogenesis scandal. While he was suspended for 50 games, Jesús gained a lot of weight and returned in 2014 a different player. His last Major League game was in 2015.