Miami Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez was one of three people declared dead Sunday after a boating accident.
He was 24.
“The Miami Marlins organization is devastated by the tragic loss of Jose Fernandez,” a team statement said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with his family at this very difficult time.”
Sunday’s game at Marlins Park against the Atlanta Braves has been canceled.
Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred also released a statement:
All of baseball is shocked and saddened by the sudden passing of Miami Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez. He was one of our game’s great young stars who made a dramatic impact on and off the field since his debut in 2013. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, the Miami Marlins organization and all of the people he touched in his life.
The Miami sports community was quick to offer condolences. According to NFL.com, the Miami Dolphins will have a moment of silence in remembrance before their game Sunday and sent out a tweet:
The Miami Heat shared a similar message:
The news also created a ripple effect across baseball, with a number of former teammates, teams and other prominent figures reacting:
Adam Peterson of Purple Row reminisced about Fernandez’s talent and infectious joy:
ESPN.com reported on Tuesday that “a bag of baseballs autographed by [Fernandez] washed ashore on Miami Beach on Monday, according to law enforcement officials.”
A Cuban defector who made multiple life-threatening attempts to leave the country to pursue his baseball dream, Fernandez saved his mother from drowning during their successful trip to the United States.
In 2014, Fernandez’s grandmother saw him pitch for the first time since he left the country. Just last year, he became a United States citizen.
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