Twins Prospect, 23, Found Dead in Hotel Room

Ryan Costello appears to have died from natural causes
By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff
Posted Nov 18, 2019 1:43 PM CST
Twins Prospect, 23, Found Dead in Hotel Room
This 2019 photo provided by William Parmeter shows Fort Myers Miracle minor league baseball player Ryan Costello.   (William Parmeter via AP)

A 23-year-old Minnesota Twins prospect was found dead Sunday in his New Zealand hotel room, the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports. Ryan Costello had just joined the Auckland Tuatara, a member of the Australian Baseball League, days before his death. A press release from the team says that "preliminary indications suggest he died of natural causes." Costello, a Connecticut native, played for the Central Connecticut State University baseball team in 2016, was drafted by the Seattle Mariners the following year, and was traded to the Twins last year, CNN reports. "Ryan's infectious energy and drive for greatness will never be forgotten," tweeted Jeremy Zoll, the assistant manager who oversees the Twins' farm system. "He is the definition of a great teammate and has been taken from us far too soon."

E! calls the third baseman a "rising star" in Major League Baseball. "The Tuatara would like to express their deepest condolences to Ryan’s family back home in the United States and to the whole Minnesota Twins organisation," the team said in a statement. "Support is being offered to the Tuatara players, who are naturally devastated at the moment." The Twins said in a separate statement, "The Minnesota Twins are deeply saddened to learn of the untimely passing of Ryan Costello yesterday in New Zealand. On behalf of the entire organization, the Twins send their most sincere condolences to Ryan's family, friends, coaches and teammates. Ryan split the 2019 season between Single-A Ft. Myers and Double-A Pensacola, playing in 108 games." (More baseball stories.)

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