Yordano Ventura
On Sunday, star pitcher Yordano Ventura passed away in a car accident, the same day as former infielder Andy Marte. One of the game's fiercest competitors, Ventura often ran into controversy on the field, but very few pitchers were as gifted on the mound as he was. He quit school at age 14 to join the workforce, as his divorced mother needed extra money to raise him. Ventura's fiery demeanor on the mound came from always being one of the smallest, and often youngest, guys on the field growing up. However, he managed to stand out in a big way. His gifted right arm could hurl baseballs in excess of 100 miles per hour, and at 17 years old, he was signed by the Royals despite weighing just 140 pounds. He quickly outplayed his $28,000 signing bonus, going 0-1 with a 2.78 ERA and a 1.46 WHIP over ten games (five starts) with the Royals' Dominican Summer League team in 2009. He pitched well again in 2010, made it through Class A in 2011, and mastered High Class A in 2012. He had his breakout season in 2013, still aged just 21-22, as he went 8-6 with a 3.14 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP over 26 games (25 starts) at AA Northwest Arkansas and AAA Omaha, striking out 155 batters in 134.2 innings. Called up to the big leagues at 22 years old, he went 0-1 with a 3.52 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP over three September starts, with his fastball being clocked as high as 102.8 miles per hour. Making the team out of Spring Training in 2014, he did nothing but dominate, going 14-10 with a 3.20 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP over 31 games (30 starts). Ventura would continue to dominate in that postseason, but his biggest start came in Game Six of the World Series on October 28th. Two days earlier, his good friend Oscar Taveras had died in a car accident in the Dominican Republic, and this was the first game played after Taveras' death. Dedicating the game to Taveras, Ventura pitched seven shutout innings on just three hits, pushing the Series to Game Seven, where the Giants ultimately won. Ventura wasn't as good in 2015, but still put up a solid season, going 13-8 with a 4.08 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP. He struggled in the postseason and lost his only World Series start, but the Royals defeated the Mets anyways. In 2016, Ventura was inconsistent, finishing 11-12 with a 4.45 ERA and a 1.44 WHIP over 32 starts, which set a career high. In his third to last start, on September 19th, he threw a complete game against the White Sox, going nine innings for the first and only time in his career. Still just 25 years old, the hurler had much to look forward to in his career and life that was tragically cut short. One of the game's most exciting young pitchers finished his career 38-31 with a 3.89 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP over 94 games (93 starts), winning a World Series in 2015.
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Andy Marte
To those who follow prospects closely, Andy Marte will always be the great one who almost was. Originally signed by the Braves at 16 years old, his all-around abilities were undeniable. After a brief debut with Rookie level Danville in 2001, the Braves put him at Class A Macon in 2002, where at 18 years old, he was almost four years younger than his average competition. Still, the teenager hit .281 with 21 home runs and 32 doubles over 126 games, then put up similar numbers as a 19 year old at High Class A Myrtle Beach in 2003 and as a 20 year old at AA Greenville in 2004. Universally considered one of the top prospects in baseball, he hit .275 with 20 home runs and 26 doubles over just 109 games at AAA Richmond as a 21 year old in 2005, earning a call-up midway through the season. Though he hit just .140 with three extra base hits in 24 games, everybody knew there was more to come. He was traded to the Red Sox and then the Indians in 2006, and in 50 games, he played fairly well (especially for a 22 year old), batting .226 with five home runs and 15 doubles. Unfortunately, he wouldn't get much better from there. He played just 20 major league games in 2007, batting .193 with one home run, and by 2008, the 24 year old's stock was significantly down. Over 80 games with the Indians, the most he would ever play, he batted .221 with three home runs and eleven doubles. Cleveland traded for Mark DeRosa in 2009, and in 47 games, Marte hit just .232 with six home runs and six doubles. However, he hit so well in AAA that year that the Indians gave him another shot in 2010, but in 80 games, he hit just .229 with five home runs and seven doubles. Bouncing around in the minor leagues, he ended up in independent baseball in 2013, but in 2014, he was able to climb back into the major leagues. In six games with the Diamondbacks, he hit .188 with a home run. On August 6th, he appeared in his final major league game, striking out against the Royals' Greg Holland to end the game. In an odd twist of fate, the starting pitcher that day for the Royals was none other than Yordano Ventura, who was in the middle of the best season of his career. Marte returned to the minor leagues and eventually ended up in the Korean Baseball Organization, where he played the last two seasons. For his career, Marte hit .218 with 21 home runs, 45 doubles, and six triples over 307 games.
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