St. Louis Cardinals Slugger Oscar Taveras Dies in Car Crash

American baseball lost one of its rising stars Sunday, after St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Oscar Taveras was killed in a car accident in his native Dominican Republic.

The Associated Press reported that Taveras lost control of his Chevrolet Camaro on a highway about 215 miles from the country’s capital Santo Domingo. The 22-year-old player was not carrying any documents at the time of the accident, but his body was identified by his family members. Taveras’ girlfriend, named as 18-year-old Edilia Arvelo, also perished in the crash.

“I simply can’t believe it,” Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak said in a press release, while the team’s chairman, Bill DeWitt Jr., said they were all “stunned and deeply saddened” by the loss.

“Oscar was an amazing talent with a bright future who was taken from us well before his time,” DeWitt said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends tonight.”

Commissioner of Baseball Bud Selig also issued a statement mourning Taveras’ loss. “All of us throughout Major League Baseball are in mourning this evening, shocked by the heartbreaking news of the accident involving Cardinals outfielder Oscar Taveras and his girlfriend in the Dominican Republic,” Selig said.

Taveras signed with the Cardinals in 2008, and made his major league debut this year after previously being ranked as Major League Baseball’s No. 3 overall prospect.

[AP]