Detroit Tigers minor league catcher Chace Numata passes away

After injuries sustained in a skateboarding accident last week, Detroit Tigers minor league catcher Chace Numata has passed away at the age of 27.

The Detroit Tigers released a statement on Monday afternoon regarding the status of Double-A Erie SeaWolves catcher Chace Numata, who was hospitalized last week after a skateboarding accident. The team’s statement sadly reported that Numata has passed away.

Numata came to the Detroit Tigers organization this season and spent time in both Erie and Toledo. He previously spent time in the minor league systems of the Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies, who drafted him in the 14th round in 2010.

According to the Detroit Free Press, Numata fell off of his skateboard around 2 a.m. on Friday morning. He was found on the ground bleeding from his head when a passing motorist stopped and called 911.

The catcher played 71 games with Erie this season, batting .239 with four home runs and 26 RBI. He also hit .300 in the six games he spent with the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens.

A statement from Chace’s family says, “His smile was contagious, unrelenting, and never-ending, while his personality could light up any environment he would be in.”

The SeaWolves season concluded on Monday with a 4-0 win over the Akron Rubberducks. In their statement, the Seawolves wrote, “Chace was a leader, an outstanding teammate, a friend to many, and his personality was positive and infectious.”