RIP

Andrés Meléndez -- a catcher prospect in the Cleveland Guardians' minor league system -- died on Thursday in Florida ... the team announced.

He was only 20 years old.

The Guardians did not reveal a cause of death ... but said the passing was "sudden."

"The Cleveland Guardians are saddened to share Andrés Meléndez passed away suddenly this afternoon," the team said in a statement Thursday night. "Meléndez is remembered by his teammates and friends as a positive, respectful and thoughtful young man with a beautiful smile who had a profound impact on others."

"He will be greatly missed."

Meléndez initially signed with the Milwaukee Brewers' organization as an international free agent in 2017 ... but was later traded to the Guardians in 2019.

In his first season at the Low-A level of the minor leagues this year, Meléndez hit 8 home runs and batted .247 -- and was just beginning to gain notoriety with the Guardians' affiliate, the Lynchburg Hillcats.

"We join the Cleveland Guardians in mourning the untimely loss of Andrés Meléndez, a former player in the Brewers organization," the Milwaukee Brewers said in a statement Thursday night, "and offer the friends, family and teammates of Andrés our heartfelt condolences during this difficult time."

Meléndez's Hillcats teammate, pitcher Josh Wolf, mourned the loss shortly after the tragic news was announced ... saying the catcher was "always bringing positive energy to the field and locker room."

"He was a fantastic teammate and an even better person," Wolf added. "Love you Andres."

The 10 people killed at Travis Scott's Astroworld Festival all suffocated to death in a crowd surge that crushed their lungs, according to the medical examiner.

The info, released more than a month after the Houston tragedy lists each of the ten victims' cause of death as "compression asphyxia." The report states each victim was pronounced dead at local hospitals. Only one of the ten had a "contributory cause" to his death of the combined toxic effects of cocaine, methamphetamine and ethanol.

Of course, the investigation of what failures led to those deaths continues. As we reported, the Astroworld stage started to be torn down Wednesday, 40 days after the concert ended.

As you know, Travis, Live Nation and other promoters are facing billions of dollars in litigation for negligence and wrongful death.

TMZ broke the story, Travis has teamed up with government officials over the last few weeks to organize a safety report for city officials across the country to use moving forward when planning large-scale music events.

Families of the victims from the show have mostly positioned their anger toward Travis, refusing his help even after he and his team had offered to help pay for funeral costs.

Nick Cannon is on a long road to healing following the death of his 5-month-old son, Zen, who died of a malignant brain tumor earlier this month.

The "Wild 'N Out" star told folks on the "Today" show that he relied on his faith to get him through this tough time, saying, "I'm optimistic in finding the purpose through all of the pain."

As you may recall, Nick broke the devastating news on "The Nick Cannon Show" at the beginning of this month, getting very emotional talking about the final days of his son's life. Prior to that, Nick and Alyssa Scott had kept their son's health issues private.

When asked how he's doing now, Nick says he is taking it only 5 minutes at a time... "I'm so used to being upbeat and outspoken ... this was probably the most delicate and the most precious thing I've ever had to talk about."

Nick says before his diagnosis, he initially thought Zen had a minor sinus problem.

As far as mama Alyssa, Nick says he is "in awe" of her strength while dealing with such a tough loss, after carrying the baby for 9 months. He says that he tries to be there for her, but sometimes all they can do is "connect through prayer."

As we previously told you, Nick got a tattoo of his son and says that's only the beginning of what he plans to do to make sure Zen is always by his side.

The Juice is officially loose now that he's off parole early, and one person who isn't very happy about it is the sister of his slain ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson.

O.J. Simpson being released into society without a parole officer's supervision is a huge downer for Tanya Brown, who tells TMZ ... the guy doesn't deserve a second chance -- especially not in Hollywood, where she thinks he'll attempt a professional comeback.

Tanya says she usually believes most folks oughta get a shot at redemption, but for her, O.J.'s not in that category -- not only because he was found liable for killing her sister, but also because she says he hasn't shown any remorse whatsoever.

He also hasn't done much to show he's changed, according to Tanya ... who insists Simpson probably doesn't think he's done anything wrong.

It's because of his enormous ego that Tanya believes he will beeline it for Tinseltown -- but she's praying L.A. power players will continue to shun him ... just like they did in the wake of his 1995 acquittal.

While Tanya says she has no control over who embraces him, she's really hoping Hollywood elites don't even think of welcoming him back ... but the cynic in her is sorta doubtful.

In Tanya's eyes, L.A. has a bad rep when it comes to honoring women ... and she tells us she wouldn't be surprised if they take O.J. in with open arms. That'd be a true shame, according to her, because she says O.J. not only killed Nicole but mistreated her well before that ... citing multiple reported incidents of abuse.

Travis Scott is getting to work to ensure an event like the Astroworld tragedy never happens again, joining leaders from government and music in a first of its kind initiative ... TMZ has learned.

Sources with direct knowledge tell us Travis has spent the last few weeks meeting with leaders from The United States Conference of Mayors (USCM) -- a group that represents the interests of more than 1,400 cities across the country.

We're told the goal is to form a committee made up of members of government, public safety, emergency response, health care event management, music and technology -- and create a safety report for future shows to follow and ensure safety and security.

We've obtained an outline of the group's goals, which also states it will "aggressively focus on new technologies and innovations that offer ways to address these challenges."

Outside of Travis, the report will be led by the Chair of the Conference's Tourism, Art, Parks, Entertainment and Sports Committee and Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve.

You'll remember, it was during Travis' first interview since Astroworld last week when he told Charlamagne Tha God he felt it was his responsibility to fix things moving forward and to be sure something like the Houston tragedy never happened again.

Of course, the interview was not met well by some of the families of the 10 victims who lost their lives at the festival. Valerie Cortinas Fisher, the attorney for the family of 23-year-old Rudy Peña said despite what Travis thought, the interview didn't heal anyone -- telling us anyone can act sorry on camera -- but it's the action after that counts.

Jason Hitch, who was a pivotal part of season 2 of "90 Day Fiancé" has died after complications from COVID-19 ... TMZ has learned.

Jason's sister, Shannon tells us he passed away Tuesday night inside the ICU of a Florida hospital. We're told Jason's family was able to be with him when he died and held his hand in his final moments. Shannon says Jason was not vaccinated and did not have preexisting medical conditions, to the family's knowledge.

Hitch died from complications of COVID-19 and perhaps other factors, Shannon says.

Jason appeared on season 2 of the show in 2014 and was married to Cássia Tavares -- a Brazilian woman who had moved to the United States to be with Jason -- they separated in 2017 and filed for divorce in 2018.

Jason was a first lieutenant in the Army reserves in Florida. Shannon tells us he was a "true and honest shooter, a great officer and leader to his men."

Jason was 45.

Young Dolph was just honored in Memphis with a street naming, a ceremony that featured some touching words from his longtime partner, who hopes violence in the community slows.

Mia Jaye was on hand Wednesday for the unveiling of Adolph "Young Dolph" Thornton Jr. Avenue -- the new road in town that'll now honor his memory. With her two children by her side, MJ eulogized the late rapper ... singing his praises and the impact he left on her kids.

Mia said Dolph served as a good role model and father figure for the couple's son, while also treating his little girl like a queen ... and she says she hopes that's the legacy that he's remembered for, one of family and community.

Another point Mia made was Dolph behind the scenes of his rap career was a kind and gentle person.

Mia wants Dolph's death to serve as a reminder that Black men deserve to live, grow old and care for their families. Mia says the street sign should serve as a symbol for that message.

Councilwoman Martavius Jones and Councilman JB Smiley Jr., were among the group of local politicians at the ceremony.

Dolph was shot and killed last month in broad daylight. His murder investigation is currently underway ... but no suspects have been apprehended yet. He was 36.

Jenifer Lewis is calling on Congress to open an investigation into the death of Kendrick Johnson -- a 17-year-old black boy -- whose body was found rolled up in a gym mat years ago.

"The Mother of Black Hollywood" author and exec producer of the Starz documentary "Finding Kendrick Johnson" joined us on "TMZ Live" Wednesday and shared why she thinks his case is so important.

Jenifer told us, "This is the most important film I’ve ever worked on. What this family has gone through is unspeakable but we must speak it so the public knows the truth."

The controversial death was ruled "accidental" by the state of Georgia, although Kendrick's family hired a forensics specialist who said his death was caused by "non-accidental blunt force trauma." The case was closed, but reopened in March ... we're told the doc sheds light on new evidence in the case.

Jenifer's clearly outraged by the lack of action on the part of law enforcement, saying, "You know how much evidence the FBI has to have to storm somebody’s house with guns AK- 47s out? And then when they got in there and saw that it was an FBI agent, it was just pushed under the rug, just pushed under the rug. Another Black kid. So what?”

The actress also talked about her special connection to filmmaker Jason Pollock after his 2014 Michael Brown doc, since she grew up in a small town just outside of Ferguson ... and she now wants the people in Washington to do something about it.

The first athlete named to Michigan State's recruiting class Wednesday was not a five-star QB or a four-star D-lineman ... no, it was Tate Myre, who the Spartans honored following his tragic death in the Oxford H.S. shooting.

"We are honored to recognize Tate Myre as the first Spartan Dawg of the 2022 class," MSU football head coach Mel Tucker said in a video message on National Signing Day.

"A Spartan Dawg is defined not by the plays they make on the field, but by the character they exemplify, the leadership they bring to their team and their community, and for extraordinary individuals like Tate Myre, their heroism."

Tate was one of four people killed when a gunman opened fire in the Michigan high school on Nov. 30. He tragically died while trying to disarm the suspect.

Just days before the shooting, the Wildcats' two-way football player visited the Univ. of Toledo as a recruit -- but, growing up, he had made it known MSU was his dream school.

"He had a passion to one day play for Michigan State," Tucker said. "This passion was paired with an unstoppable drive and follow-through to get there."

"Tate's consistency on and off the football field elevated everyone who knew him. Tate is, and always will be, a Spartan Dawg."

Tucker added that the Spartans will continue to support Myre's family as well as the families of the other victims -- Hana St. Juliana, Justin Shilling and Madisyn Baldwin.

The woman Henry Ruggs slammed his Corvette into in a fiery car crash last month burned to death ... officials revealed on Tuesday.

According to reps from the Clark County coroner's office in Nevada, Tintor "died from thermal injuries due to a motor vehicle collision."

The officials added other contributing causes to the death included "inhalation of products of combustion, fractures of the nasal bones, right sided ribs, and left forearm, and a left hemothorax."

The officials ruled the death accidental.

As we previously reported, Ruggs is accused of drunkenly causing the accident ... after officials say he was speeding with a .161 BAC before he rammed his sportscar into the back of Tintor's RAV4 at around 3:39 a.m. on Nov. 2 in Las Vegas.

In 911 calls, obtained by TMZ Sports, you can hear witnesses telling dispatchers the fire surrounding Tintor's car following the collision was intense.

"It's almost all gone," a woman said of Tintor's fire-engulfed vehicle ... adding, "and I think someone is in it."

Demaryius Thomas' former teammates paid their respects to the ex-NFL star on "Monday Night Football" ... with Von Miller and DeAndre Hopkins wearing helmet decals to honor DT.

The Rams and Cardinals superstars both put #88 stickers on their respective helmets to show love for the former wide receiver just days after he tragically died in his Georgia home.

Miller's emblem featured an 88 with Broncos colors, while Hopkins' sticker had a simple white and black 88.

"88 4 L ETERNAL 🖤," Miller said of the tribute in a caption on his social media page.

Of course, Miller played alongside Thomas for years in Denver ... while Hopkins shared time with the wideout when the two were in Houston together in the 2018 season.

Another one of Thomas' former Broncos teammates, Cardinals kicker Matt Prater, also put an 88 sticker on his Arizona helmet for the game.

As we previously reported, Thomas' old Denver team honored DT on Sunday with a video tribute, helmet stickers and a special delay of game penalty in their matchup with the Lions. Thomas' former Jets team, meanwhile, also held a moment of silence before their game against the Saints.

Thomas would have turned 34 years old on Christmas.

Jimmy Rave -- who famously feuded with AJ Styles in Ring of Honor before becoming a TNA Wrestling star -- died Sunday, a rep for the former pro wrestler announced.

He was just 39 years old.

Bill Behrens, who helped represent Rave in his decades-long wrestling career, announced the sad news Monday ... saying Rave passed away after "struggling with drug addiction for many years."

"His struggles resulted in the amputation of his arm," Behrens said, "and, later, both of his legs."

Rave -- real name James Michael Guffey -- began his wrestling career in 1999 ... and joined Ring of Honor just a few years later, where he and Styles famously had beef.

The two feuded as part of their Ring of Honor storyline -- with the duo actually competing in a match for the rights to Styles' famous finishing move, the Styles Clash.

Rave went on to star in TNA Wrestling -- before ending his career with a variety of independent promotions.

"This really hurts," WWE legend Mick Foley said on social media, adding "Jimmy Rave has passed away. He was only 39. #RIPJimmyRave"

Behrens announced memorial services for the former wrestler will take place in Georgia.

Vicente Fernández fans mourned together at a big soccer game in Mexico on Sunday ... with thousands of supporters singing and cheering throughout the venue.

The powerful moment went down at the Jalisco Stadium ... as Atlas and León players joined together at midfield to celebrate the life and legacy of Fernández.

Fans in attendance stood in solidarity with one another ... clapping for more than a minute straight as fireworks shot to the sky.

Music was played as a young boy dressed in all white walked onto the field to release a white balloon into the sky.

That wasn't all ... a message was projected on the screens at the stadium reading "Don Vicente Fernández 1940-2021."

Fernández's death has affected people not just in the music world, but the sports world as well ... and this tribute was clearly special to all in attendance.

He is survived by his wife, María del Refugio Abarca Villasenor, and their four kids -- Vicente Jr., Gerardo, Alejandro, and Alejandra.

Terrible news in the horse racing world ... 3 jockeys were hospitalized and 2 horses died after a horrific fall during a horserace in Hong Kong on Sunday.

The tragic event happened during the Group 1 Hong Kong Sprint at Sha Tin Racecourse ... when jockey Lyle Hewitson's horse lost its footing several hundred yards into the race, collapsing ahead of a large pack of horses.

The whole incident was televised ... and the video clearly shows Hewiston's horse, Amazing Star fall, sending the South African jockey slamming to the ground, before being trampled by a stampede of horses.

That caused a domino effect ... and sent 3 other jockeys and their horses flying to the ground.

Hong Kong Jockey Club's executive director Andrew Harding says all 3 men were treated at Prince of Wales hospital with multiple injuries.

Hewitson ended up having a fractured hip and small bleed in the brain. 4x Hong Kong champ, Zac Purton, suffered four fractured ribs, a fractured wrist and a broken nose.

The third jockey, Yuichi Fukunaga of Japan, broke his collarbone.

Miraculously, all of the jockeys survived.

Unfortunately, the 2 horses weren't so lucky. Amazing Star and Naboo Attack suffered fatal injuries and had to be euthanized.

The race did go on after the collision. Australian jockey Blake Shinn and his horse Sky Field officially took the title ... a win he calls "bittersweet".

"I have mixed emotions for winning this race today," Shinn said.

"Obviously the first emotion is that my feelings are with the fallen jockeys and horses out there."

There's a social media push to get Kanye West to step in and fill the role of Louis Vuitton creative director after the death of Virgil Abloh ... and Dapper Dan believes Ye would be the perfect fit.

We got DD at LAX Friday who sang Ye's praises, calling him a genius and saying, "Louis, get Kanye!!!" Of course, Dapper Dan acknowledges Kanye would need to be game to take on the role, but sees it as a perfect fit.

As we reported, Virgil's sudden and surprising death after a battle with cancer drew an outpouring of support, and also raised eyebrows on who could be next to fill his position at LV ... with Kanye's name almost instantly coming to the forefront.

Kanye and Virgil had been friends for more than a decade at the time of his death, and Kanye showed up at memorial and funeral services in both Miami and Chicago to pay his respects and honor the fashion mogul.

Kanye has obviously made his mark in fashion over the years with his Yeezy brand -- a partnership with Adidas to make shoes -- and most recently a collab with GAP.

It was just this week when Kim Kardashian thanked Kanye for introducing her to the "world of fashion," when she accepted the Fashion Icon of the Year Award at the People's Choice Award.

Demaryius Thomas was at the forefront of everyone's mind this Sunday -- especially for his former team, the Denver Broncos, who paid tribute to him ... with an assist from the Lions.

The late wide receiver -- who died suddenly last week -- was honored during the opening minutes of the game ... with just 10 men on the Broncos taking the field, and WR Courtland Sutton taking a knee on the sidelines as his team let the play clock run out.

It essentially served as a moment of silence -- the significance of leaving Sutton/Thomas' position vacated on the field was symbolic, almost like it was meant to be filled by him in spirit.

Denver was penalized for this, but the Lions declined the penalty ... and let them play on as if nothing had happened -- something the team seemed to be grateful for online. There was also a video compilation played on the jumbo screen before kickoff, which showed off some of Thomas' highlights from when he was playing for them.

In addition to the on-field moment and the video, there were a number of other tributes set up all throughout the stadium, including a memorial that had been set up for Thomas that Peyton Manning and his family visited before the game got underway.

There was also a portrait of the guy that was on display in the tunnel, which players kissed and tapped as they made their way to the gridiron. And even on the field itself, the Broncos emblazoned Thomas' former number, 88, right there onto the grass.

All this was to be expected ... as we reported, the Broncos were pulling out all the stops to make sure their guy was recognized properly, as he was a big part of their SB run in 2016.

Thomas was found dead at his home on Thursday, with a call for cardiac arrest triggering a police response. It's unclear what exactly happened to him -- an autopsy is pending.