Victor Sanchez

Victor David Sanchez Rodriguez

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 0", Weight 255 lb.

• Born January 30, 1995 in Rio Chico, Miranda Venezuela
• Died March 28, 2015 in Caracas, Distrito Capital Venezuela

BR Minors page

Biographical Information

Starting pitcher Victor Sanchez began his professional career in 2012 and was considered a top pitching prospect when he died tragically shortly after his 20th birthday.

He was signed by the Seattle Mariners on July 12, 2011. In 2012, the 17-year-old pitched for the Everett AquaSox, going 6-2 with a 3.18 ERA in 15 starts. He was 6-6 with a 2.78 mark for the Clinton LumberKings in 2013, tossing a no-hitter against the Lansing Lugnuts on July 17th. In 2014, the hurler was 7-6 with a 4.19 ERA in 23 starts for the Double-A Jackson (TN) Generals. At only 19 years old, he was 5.4 years younger than the average Double-A ballplayer that year.

On February 13, 2015, Sanchez suffered a critical head injury in a boating accident in his native Venezuela. He was apparently struck by the propeller of a watercraft while swimming on a beach in Carupano, Sucre. He was placed into critical care at a local hospital where surgery was performed on a double skull fracture. The operation was successful, but doctors described his condition as "still fighting for his life." He began to show improvement a couple of days later, with reduced swelling and movement in his legs although he was still not breathing on his own. However, he never was able to recover and passed away in a hospital in the country's capital of Caracas after being in a coma for 42 days.

Further Reading

• Greg Johns: "Mariners prospect Sanchez dies in Venezuela: The 20-year-old pitcher had been injured in boating accident in February", mlb.com, March 28, 2015. [1]