New York Yankees pitching prospect Alexander Figueredo was shot and killed on November 27 in his native Venezuela. Figueredo was reportedly at a party in Guacara when he was gunned down, and died from multiple gunshot wounds. He was 20 years old.
On July 17, 2013, Figueredo signed a minor league deal with the Yankees, and was assigned to their team in the Dominican Summer League. In his only season with the Dominican Summer Yankees 1 in 2015, Figueredo showed some promise as an 18-year-old left-handed pitcher, posting a 5-0 record and 1.89 ERA in 57 innings.
Figueredo missed the 2016 campaign after spending the entire season on the suspended/restricted list. It is unclear why he was suspended for an entire year, and what the future held for him in the organization. Still, it is incredibly sad to hear about a young man losing his life with so many years ahead of him.
The news of Figueredo's death comes just two days after the Minnesota Twins announced the passing of their minor league pitcher Yorman Landa in Venezuela. According to his agent Daniel Szew, Landa was sitting in the passenger seat of a car when he was struck in the head by a falling tree. Of the four or five individuals in the vehicle at the time, Yorman was the only person to sustain serious injuries. He was only 22 years old.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to Figueredo's family, friends, and teammates.
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