Washington Nationals prospect Fausto Segura was killed in a traffic accident in the Dominican Republic on Sunday night. He was 23 years old.
On Monday, news around baseball was dominated by punishment handed down by MLB commissioner Rob Manfred, as he teed off on the Houston Astros. Both the manager and general manager were suspended for a year, then subsequently fired an hour later. AstroGate will dominate the baseball universe for the coming days.
That news overshadowed a tragedy in the Washington Nationals organization. On Sunday, Nationals prospect Fausto Segura passed away due to injuries suffered in a car accident in the Dominican Republic. He was 23 years old.
The Washington Nationals are extremely saddened to learn of the tragic passing of Fausto Segura. pic.twitter.com/vPP0M7FNuR
— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) January 13, 2020
According to several witnesses, Segura was riding his scooter near the Barahona Airport when he was hit by an SUV. Unfortunately, he succumbed to his injuries.
Segura was a live armed prospect whose fastball was clocked as high as 98 MPH. He was a late signing by the Nationals, as he was already 20 years old when his professional career began, but his fastball was more than enough to capture Washington’s attention. Segura had command issues, but if he was able to eventually harness his stuff, he had the potential to be a valued part of the bullpen.
Both his excellent fastball, and control issues, were on display last season. An NYPL All Star last season, he pitched 28 innings with the Auburn Doubledays, Segura posted a 3.21 ERA and a 1.286 WHiP. He struck out 33 batters but also issued 21 walks.
2019 marked the first time that Segura had been outside the Nationals’ academy. He had spent the previous two seasons in the Dominican Summer League and the Gulf Coast League, with similar results. His fastball was difficult to make contact against, but he also had moments where he simply did not know where it was heading once it left his hand. Nonetheless, he was a solid relief prospect, especially if he would have been able to harness his arsenal.
Our condolences go out to Fausto Segura’s friends and family, and to the Washington Nationals organization.