The words of love are pouring in for Jesús Montero, including from his ex-wife, Taneth Gimenez.
The former top Yankees prospect, who was dealt by Brian Cashman, died in a motorcycle accident at 35 years old, the team announced on Sunday.
Montero was involved in the accident earlier this month in Venezuela and was put into an induced coma due to various major injuries, per a GoFundMe page that tried to raise money for his hospital bills.
Upon the news, Gimenez posted a series of photos on her Instagram stories of Montero and their two children, Loren and Jesus.
She wrote, “R.I.P. Jesus Montero” with a cross emoji.
“I’ll keep the good memories tattooed on my soul,” she added.
Gimenez, who is from Barquisimeto, Venezuela, is a model and fitness instructor. There are some reports saying the former couple met during a trip at the beaches of Morrocoy in Venezuela.
At 16, Montero signed as an international free agent for $1.6 million in 2006. He quickly became a hyped prospect, but never quite lived up to the noise.
Yet, he notably debuted in 2011 as the Yankees’ No. 1 prospect at 21 years old.
He impressed against major league pitching, hitting .328 with a .996 OPS and four home runs across 18 games with the Yankees in 2011. Montero went on to make the postseason roster and went 2-for-2 in the only game he played in during the playoffs — an ALDS loss to the Tigers.
Montero eventually was shipped to Seattle in a trade for Michael Pineda and played four seasons there before his final game in the league came in 2015.
“We send our sincerest condolences to his family and loved ones,” the Yankees wrote in a statement.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
