18-Year-Old Yankees Minor Leaguer Killed In Car Crash
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) — The New York Yankees say Sandy Acevedo, an infielder in their minor league system who was set to begin his professional career this season, has been killed in a car crash. He was 18.
The team said Acevedo died Saturday night in the Dominican Republic. A moment of silence was held for him at Yankee Stadium before Sunday's game against the Tampa Bay Rays, and a picture of Acevedo batting was shown on the giant video screen in center field.
Acevedo signed with the Yankees as an international free agent last July and was scheduled to make his pro debut this year in the rookie-level Gulf Coast League. He was born in the Dominican Republic and lived in Santo Domingo.
Donny Rowland, the Yankees' director of international scouting, told Scout.com in a 2015 interview that he discovered Acevedo while scouting a pitcher, Yoan Lopez, who signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks.
"Acevedo was one of the hitters that we brought in to face him, and he absolutely owned him in three out of four at-bats and crushed stuff," Rowland said. "That's where our staff became sold on this guy. 'We like the pitcher, but who is the hitter?'"
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