Former Mariners Catcher Jesus Montero Dead at 35

Jesus Montero -- an ex-Major League Baseball player with the Seattle Mariners and New York Yankees -- has died ... according to tribute post from the Yankees.

The team shared a photo of Montero to X Sunday morning ... writing, "The Yankees are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Jesús Montero. We send our sincerest condolences to his family & loved ones."

The Seattle Times -- citing Venezuelan outlets -- reported earlier this month that Montero was driving a motorcycle in his home country when he was hit by a pickup truck. He was rushed to a hospital in the city of Valencia. Newsweek reported he was intubated at the hospital.

The Yankees signed Montero out of Venezuela in 2006 when he was just 17 years old ... and, he made his major league debut for the club in 2011.

After playing just 18 games for NY in 2011, he was traded to the Mariners in a deal that involved pitcher Michael Pineda ... and, he spent parts of the next four seasons in the Pacific Northwest, appearing in 208 games for the club.

Montero was involved in a memorable altercation in 2014 with a coach who sent him an ice cream sandwich while he was playing for the Single-A Everett AquaSox. After he received the sandwich, Montero went up into the stands with a bat to confront the coach and threw the sandwich at him.

It appears Jesus last played for the Águilas del Zulia -- a Venezuelan baseball team -- during the 2020-2021 season.

Montero was 35.