FORMER BLUE JAYS
PROSPECT KILLED
IN CAR ACCIDENT

TORONTO – A former TORONTO BLUE JAYS minor league prospect, 2B JORGE SEQUEA, was killed when he was struck by another car in his hometown of Anaco in Venezuela on Sunday 3 July 2005. Apparently the 24-year-old infielder had run his car off the highway and in walking to get some help was struck by another car and was killed instantly.

He had played up to the Triple-AAA level with the SYRACUSE SKYCHIEFS in both 2003 and 2004. Earlier in 2005 he had signed with the ST. LOUIS CARDINALS organization as a free agent, then asked for his release after they advised he would start the year with their Double-AA affiliate, after which he played the first month of the current campaign with TABASCO, a professional team in Mexico, before returning home. It was also reported that his wife had given birth to their second son about five months ago.

His friend and former roommate TORONTO BLUE JAYS C GUILLERMO QUIROZ stated, "Every time I think about it I get the shivers. It just doesn't feel right that someone so young has to die. I'll tell you what, he was a heck of a guy who did everything for his family. All he cared about was his family."

Originally signed by the DETROIT TIGERS on 13 March 1998 as a non-drafted free agent, he had been selected by the BLUE JAYS in the Rule V minor league draft on 16 December 2002, and was listed as a talented switch hitter, a singles hitter, with a tolerable eye at the plate, with little power, nor speed. At one point he was being groomed for second or short.

In 2003, in 271 at-bats, he batted .255, with three home runs and 31 runs batted in, and in 335 at-bats in 2004, he hit .266, with 4 home runs and 31 runs batted in. He opted for minor league free agency on 27 October 2004. (7-03)

Special to Canadian Baseball News – 28 July 2005