Miami Marlins pitching ace Jose Fernandez died last night in a boating accident off of Miami Beach. He was 24, an ebullient player, and a fan favorite in Miami.

In his three years with the Marlins, Fernandez had established himself as one of the dominant pitchers in the game. This year he was 16-8 with a 2.86 ERA. His career ended at 38-17 and a 2.58 ERA. It’s a gross understatement to say that he had a bright baseball future ahead of him. In another aspect of his future, Jose’s girlfriend Carla Mendoza (in some press accounts she is described as his wife) is expecting a child.

Fernandez was born in Cuba. He escaped that imprisoned island on his fourth try, after having served jail time for his previous attempts. Two other young men died in the accident with Fernandez. The accident occurred when the boat hit a jetty at speed.

RIP Jose Fernandez.