San Francisco Giants star catcher Buster Posey took to his Instagram account Monday to post a touching tribute to slain Navy SEAL William "Ryan" Owens.

Owens, of Peoria, Illinois, was killed in a raid in Yemen over the weekend, according to Pentagon officials.

Posey indicated in his post that Owens was a member of Seal Team 6 and a huge Giants fan. Posey said Owens was a frequent visitor to the Giants spring training camp in Scottsdale, Arizona, and posted a photo of Owens inside the team's clubhouse.

Posey said in the post he had the honor of meeting Owens and his son in 2012.

"For me, it is easy to take for granted the life that my family and I get to live everyday," Posey wrote in the post. "Words don't do justice for the gratitude that I have for people like Ryan that sacrifice their lives fighting against evil, so that we may live with freedom.

"Unfortunately for Ryan's family, they lost a husband and a father this weekend. I can't imagine the pain they must be going through. Please keep his family in your thoughts and prayers. Ryan Owens was a hero that is gone way too soon."

Owens was killed in a firefight Sunday with militants from al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula's branch in Yemen. Three al Qaeda leaders were killed in the raid, U.S. officials told NBC News.