Former MLB Pitcher Yoervis Medina Passes Away at 37

Yoervis Medina, the former pitcher for the Mariners and Cubs, has tragically passed away at the age of 37, as confirmed by the Seattle organization.

Medina, originally from Venezuela, suffered a heart attack while driving, which unfortunately resulted in a car crash. Reports from local media indicate that the accident took place in Naguanagua on Thursday night, where he crashed into several parked vehicles following the heart attack.

The Mariners organization shared their condolences on social media, expressing sorrow at the news of his passing. They stated, “We are saddened to hear of the passing of former Mariners pitcher Yoervis Medina. We extend our deepest condolences to his family and friends.”

The Everett AquaSox, which is part of the Mariners’ High-A minor league system, also released a statement on social media, noting, “We have sad news from Venezuela. Former AquaSox pitcher Yoervis Medina (2010) has passed away at the age of 37.” He had a brief major league career from 2013 to 2015.

Medina joined the Mariners as an amateur free agent in 2005 and stayed with the team for seven years before making his big league debut in the middle of the 2013 season. As a right-handed pitcher for Seattle, he recorded a 2.82 ERA and racked up 147 strikeouts over 141 games between 2013 and 2015.

In 2015, the Mariners traded Medina along with catcher Wellington Castillo to the Cubs, but he only played in five games that season, also appearing with Chicago’s Triple-A team.

After that season, he was selected off waivers by the Pirates but didn’t make it back to the majors. His last affiliated baseball experience was a brief period with the Phillies’ rookie team in 2016.

Interestingly, he had a more recent stint playing professionally in 2023 with Tecnograniti Senago in Italy.