Marlins Ace Jose Fernandez Tragically Killed In Miami Boating Accident

Jose Fernandez, pitcher for the MLB's Miami Marlins, has died in a boating accident, the team confirmed Sunday morning.

Fernandez was 24 years old.

"The Miami Marlins organization is devastated by the tragic loss of Jose Fernandez. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family at a very difficult time," the team said in a statement.

The Marlins game against the Braves has been canceled with the tragic news out of Miami.

According to ESPN, local authorities received a call of a capsized boat at 3 am ET. Upon arrival, rescuers found a 30-foot boat that had apparently crashed into rocks off the coast of Miami Beach, where three people were found dead, among them Fernandez. Authorities continued to look for possible survivors.

The news broke early Sunday morning, with many heartbreaking Tweets:

Fernandez successfully defected from Cuba in 2008 at 15 years old. He spent time in a Cuban prison for three failed attempts prior to the 2008 defection.

Fernandez was drafted 11th overall by the Marlins in 2011. In 2013, the righthander won the Rookie of the Year award, posting a 2.19 ERA in 172.2 innings pitched.

The two-time All-Star's career was marked by a combination of his incredible talent and unmatched enthusiasm for the game of baseball.

While injuries kept Fernandez off the field for most of 2014 and 2015, he returned to the mound in 2016, posting a 2.86 ERA in 182.1 innings pitched.

Fernandez's final start came September 20 against the Nationals. He threw eight innings, winning 1-0. The Marlins are currently 77-78, sitting in third place in the NL East division, 13.5 games out of first place.

A recent Instagram appears to confirm that he was going to have a child with his girlfriend, Carla Mendoza. There are no reports of whether she was on the boat with Fernandez or not.

Update 9/26: The two other men on the boat with Fernandez have been identified as Emilio Macias, 27, and Eduardo Rivero, 25. Respective GoFundMe campaigns have been created for the men.

Citations: ESPN, CBS Sports, Baseball Reference