Twins prospect Ryan Costello passed away over the weekend at just 23 years of age, the team announced Monday morning. Costello had been in Auckland, New Zealand and was slated to play third base for the Auckland Tuatara in the Australian Baseball League beginning this week.
“The Minnesota Twins are deeply saddened to learn of the untimely passing of Ryan Costello yesterday in New Zealand,” the team said in a press release this morning. “On behalf of the entire organization, the Twins send their most sincere condolences to Ryan’s family, friends, coaches and teammates.”
Preliminary indications suggest that Costello died of natural causes, writes Daren Smith of MiLB.com, citing a statement from the Tuatara. Costello was a 31st-round pick of the Mariners in 2017 and came to the Twins in the 2018 trade that sent lefty Zach Duke to Seattle. MLBTR extends its sympathies to the family, friends and teammates of Costello as well as the entire Twins organization.
Rip
Every parent’s nightmare. RIP.
RIP Ryan.
Horrible. My heart goes out to his family and friends.
RIP Ryan.
Awful news.
I have a 23 year old and it would be absolutely traumatic to lose him at such a young age. My heart goes out to the family. How tragic for young Mr. Costello and all involved.
Dying should be for old people, what a shame!
I have removed unnecessary speculation and issued bans as appropriate for certain comments.
If you wish to comment upon this unfortunate story, please do so respectfully.
So what’s the reason we can’t comment on the licensing and restructuring of the minors but we can comment about a young man passing away?
I wasn’t working when the decision was made on the prior story, so I’m not sure what happened. But usually we close the comments when so many people make so many bad choices that we cannot adequately police the comments section.
I’d like to think we can leave the comments section open on this article so that people may express their sympathies at a tragic loss. That doesn’t feel like a controversial preference.
Well it looks awful fishy for me. The comments being off on there but not on here, it seems to put a higher value on Major League Baseball not catching the comments section but no care was put forth to this kids family. Any reason as to why a higher value was put on Tyler Skaggs life to stop the comments before it was released but you leave this open on Ryan Costello? Because of the conditions?
If you read Jeff Todd’s explanation, you’ll see that this is no disrespect to the young man’s family in keeping the comments open. MLBTR removed the speculation, which was disrespectful, and left the comments open so people could offer their condolences.
So then can you explain to me why the last 3 comments on the headline for Tyler Skaggs have been sitting there since July? Go look, I’ll wait patiently.
@Jeff Todd
Wow. Can’t even imagine what some people might say that warrants filtering. Sad. Condolences to all that knew him.
This is absolutely the right editorial move. My heart goes out to Ryan Costello’s family, who must be devastated. :-(
So speculation results in bans here? Seems disproportionate.
No, not all speculation on this site results in bans. If I can quote Mr.Todd in the comments of the Tyler Skaggs headline, ” We will apply a zero-tolerance for tasteless humor, snide remarks, and other disrespectful commentary”. I must have the wrong definition for zero-tolerance. The last 3 comments on that headline might shock you to believe have been sitting there for over 6 months.
Now if “Speculation” was actually being a “Banned” move on the part of the commentors then those comments would have been removed already seeing how they have a zero-tolerance. I believe that because the comments are still sitting there that those authors indeed haven’t been banned. Would I be correct in assuming that Jeff?
I bet someone’s not happy with you that you used that particular word in your comment “Police”. Now as a person who reports like you Jeff, but has the ability to Police Free Speech and lay justice how you see fit but in a non equal manner. I get the feeling you might be unraveling how deep this might go.
Threw as many people as this website has banned over the years, I wonder if any were ever incorrectly or biasedly banned and had their free speech taken away by you, the supposed to be non biased platform which is supposed to be Non Partisan I believe is the wording.
Now to answer your statement from earlier Mr. Todd, YES. I believe what you have done is been highly controversial.
No part of this statement has anything to be deleted and Me Banned for. I would surely appreciate a comment back on this Issue that I have here. Thank you for your consideration on this matter.
*5 months those comments have been there.
Yeah I don’t think I saw anything on here that warranted banning. I get not wanting people to speculate on the cause of death but banning people for it was overkill. Removing the comments and telling people not to speculate should have been sufficient…
He’s from my hometown of Wethersfield, CT. Everyone is in shock. Prayers to the family.
Many many natural causes can afflict a 23 year old. Fairly dumb of you to think those are only for older people.
Jeff you should delete my comment also. Since you rightfully deleted the person I responded to. My comment seems really out of place.
@EndinStealth
Yeah. Thought that was an odd thing to say.
Ryan was a great guy. He was a fixture in the off season at the Ct. Capitals baseball facility and would always take the time to watch and work with the kids, giving them hitting and fielding tips. My heart goes out to his family, he will be missed
R.I.P.
A young man tragically passes away, and the comment section gets hijacked by sociopaths using the thread as a platform to whine about how mean the mods are.
Although baseball is at heart just another form of entertainment, the ballplayers we watch, from superstars down to the minor league filler, are all real human beings with real lives and dreams and families just like everyone else. I wish people could keep that in perspective.
RIP Ryan Costello.
Ryan got just 23 years on this planet. Unreal. One of the miniscule percentage of human beings freakishly talented enough to play pro ball but just 23 years on this planet. What a shock for his family and loved ones. This is so tough for many of us, wondering how we lasted and this young guy passed so senselessly. Just a huge tragedy. Hope his family finds peace, eventually.
RIP, Ryan.