Former MLB Pitcher Reyes Moronta Dead at 31 in Traffic Accident

The baseball community is mourning the loss of an MLB star. 

Reyes Moronta, a pitcher from the Dominican Republic who played for the San Francisco Giants, the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Los Angeles Angels and Arizona Diamondbacks, died in a traffic accident in his native country July 28, according to the Los Angeles Times. He was 31. 

In addition to his six-year stint playing actively in the MLB, Reyes had transitioned into the Mexican League earlier this year, where he played for the León Braves and the Mexico Red Devils. The Mexican League confirmed the former pitcher’s death on July 29. 

“We grieve on behalf of his family, friends and former teammates,” the statement, translated from Spanish, read on X, formerly Twitter. “Rest in peace.”

The Quiniqua, Dominican Republic native—who married Ivelka Felin in 2020—was also remembered by the Major League Baseball Players Association. 

“The player community was shocked and saddened to learn of Reyes Moronta’s death in a traffic accident Sunday,” the organization wrote in a statement on X July 29. “We send our heartfelt sympathies to his family and friends in his native Dominican Republic and throughout the game.”

During his time in the MLB, the pitcher—who also acted as a catcher prior to playing professionally—threw nearly 3000 pitches and accumulated 16 home runs, according to the organization’s website. His fastball could push up to 100 mph, Yahoo! Sports reported. He spent most of his time on the Giants, playing for the team between 2017 and 2021 before moving on to the Dodgers, Diamondbacks and Angels in 2022 and 2023. 

Reyes—who first signed to the MLB in 2010 at age 17—was the first person from his town, which only has about 700 locals, to hit the big leagues for baseball, and spoke previously about what the feat meant to him. 

“My town has a lot of kids who played baseball that have had a lot of talent and never made it to the big leagues,” he explained in a profile with Yahoo! Sports in 2019. “I am the example for them to follow. To make it."