Reyes Moronta Passes Away

Former MLB reliever Reyes Moronta, who last pitched in the majors last season, has passed away per an announcement from the Mexican League’s Bravos de Leon. According to a report from Mike Rodriguez, Moronta’s tragic passing came following a traffic accident earlier this evening. Moronta, who pitched for the Giants, Diamondbacks, Dodgers, and Angels in a big league career that spanned parts of six seasons, was just 31 years old.

Moronta began his pro career in September 2010 at just 17 years old, when he signed with the Giants out of the Dominican Republic on a $15,000 bonus. The righty made his pro debut in the Dominican Summer League the following year and immediately impressed with a 2.13 ERA in 42 1/3 innings of work. He made his stateside debut the following year and slowly climbed his way through the minor leagues before making his MLB debut with San Francisco in 2017 at the age of 24. That first cup of coffee at the big league level ultimately lasted just seven appearances, but he pitched to a strong 2.70 ERA in 6 2/3 innings of work while striking out 37.9% of batters faced.

That strong showing in his first taste of big league action earned Moronta are larger role with the Giants headed into the 2018 season, and over the next two years the righty emerged as one of the most dominant forces in the club’s bullpen with a 2.66 ERA (50% better than league average by ERA+) as he punched out an excellent 29.3% of opponents, more than making up for an elevated 13.8% walk rate. Unfortunately, injury woes began to complicate what was an excellent start to Moronta’s young career when he underwent surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder in September of 2019.

The right-hander missed the entire 2020 campaign while rehabbing following that surgery and returned to the mound in 2021 to kick off his age-28 campaign. The injury bug continued to bite Moronta, however, and he was sidelined after just four innings of work by an elbow sprain that cost him the majority of the 2021 season. Moronta was outrighted off the Giants roster late in the year and elected free agency following the season, eventually signing with the Dodgers on a minor league deal prior to the 2022 campaign. Moronta wasn’t quite as dominant in his age-29 season as he had been earlier in his career with the Giants, but he nonetheless pitched solidly for the Dodgers and Diamondbacks that year with a combined 4.30 ERA in 37 2/3 innings of work, even as he struck out a reduced 23.6% of opponents that year.

Moronta returned to free agency after being non-tendered by Arizona that offseason. He signed with the eventual World Series champion Rangers on a minor league deal and pitched in camp with the club that spring, but was cut loose just before the season began after not making the roster. That allowed him to catch on with the Angels on a minor league deal last May, and he made two appearances at the big league level for the club last year before finishing out the season at Triple-A with a 3.32 ERA and 28.4% strikeout rate in 40 2/3 innings of work. Moronta did not sign with a club in affiliated ball this winter, instead joining the Bravos de Leon for whom he struck out 24 batters in 19 2/3 innings of work this year. Overall, Moronta posted a 3.05 ERA in 170 games during his MLB career while racking up 202 strikeouts and recording three saves.

Those of us at MLBTR extend our condolences to Moronta’s friends, family, former teammates and coaches, as well as all of those mourning his tragic passing.