Former Cubs infielder Luis Valbuena and former MLB infielder José Castillo died in a car accident Thursday night in Venezuela. Valbuena was 33 years old, while Castillo was 37.
Cardenales de Lara, Valbuena and Castillo's winter ball team in Venezuela, reported the news on Twitter.
According to the Orange County Register, Valbuena and Castillo's car collided with a rock that rolled onto the road in the state of Yaracuy. Two other men in the car, including former MLB player Carlos Rivero, survived the accident.
Julio Leon Heredia, Yaracuy's governor, tweeted Friday that four people involved with the two deaths were captured by authorities Friday. According to a report, the individuals had some of Valbuena and Castillo's belongings.
https://twitter.com/JULIOLEONYARA/status/1071102705224114178
Valbuena played with the Cubs from 2012-14, hitting .232 with 32 home runs and 116 RBIs in 347 games. Following the 2014 season, the Cubs traded him to the Astros for outfielder Dexter Fowler; Valbuena played two seasons in Houston before signing a two-year contract with the Angels ahead of the 2017 season.
Before joining the Cubs, Valbuena played in parts of four seasons with the Mariners and Indians. Castillo played parts of five seasons with the Pirates and Giants from 2004-08, hitting .254 in 592 career games.
Anthony Rizzo, Valbuena's teammate for almost all of the latter's Cubs tenure, posted a tweet saying that he is "heartbroken."
The Cubs, Angels, Indians, Mariners and Pirates expressed their condolences to the two players and their families on Twitter.
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