Former major league corner infielder Andy Marte died Sunday morning in a car crash in his native Dominican Republic, according to various reports. He was 33 years old.

“Words can’t express the emotions from the loss of our client Andy Marte. Gone too soon. A great person on and off the field,” Marte’s agency, J.M.G. baseball, stated (via Twitter).

Marte signed with the Braves as an international free agent in 2000 and quickly became one of the majors’ premier prospects. Baseball America regarded him as a top 40 prospect each year from 2002-05, and he peaked at No. 9 after the 2004 campaign. Marte cracked the big leagues a year later in a 24-game, 66-plate appearance stint with Atlanta, which then traded him to the Red Sox the next offseason in exchange for longtime major league shortstop Edgar Renteria.

Marte again ended up on the move in 2006, this time going from Boston and Cleveland in a large trade that saw the Red Sox net outfielder Coco Crisp. The majority of Marte’s major league action came as a member of the Indians, with whom he batted .224/.281/.369 in 858 trips to the plate from 2006-10. Marte then spent time with the Pirates, Angels and Diamondbacks organizations, though he only amassed 16 more PAs in the majors (all with the D-backs) before signing with the KT Wiz of the Korea Baseball Organization in 2014. Marte thrived in Korea over the past two seasons, hitting a stellar .312/.390/.547 in a combined 867 PAs and amassing 20-plus home runs both years.

MLBTR extends its condolences to Marte’s family, friends and fans.

