Miami Marlins baseball star dies in boat crash read more at here www.spinonews.com/index.php/item/1007-miami-marlins-baseball-star-dies-in-boat-crash

The US Coast Guard said Fernandez was one of three people killed in the crash on Sunday, off Miami Beach, Florida. Marlins home game against the Atlanta Braves on Sunday was cancelled

Jose Fernandez, a pitcher for the Miami Marlins baseball team, has died in a boat crash at the age of 24.

The Major League Baseball organization released a statement saying it was "stunned and devastated" by the news.

Fernandez was born in Santa Clara, in Cuba, and defected to Florida when he was 16, after three failed attempts. He made his debut for the Marlins in 2013.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said the 32-foot vessel had a severe impact with large rocks that form part of the jetty.

Officials said Fernandez was not wearing a life jacket at the time of the crash.

The names of the other two individuals are being withheld until their relatives can be informed, the Coast Guard said.

Fernandez shared a picture on Instagram five days ago which appears to show his girlfriend Carla Mendoza pregnant.

Sports fans and players paid tribute to the player across social media. Fellow Cuban, Yasiel Puig, a right-fielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers, hung Fernandez's jersey in the dugout before his game against the Rockies, expressing his sadness on Twitter.

Fernandez was the club's first-round draft pick in 2011 and was finishing up on his finest season in the major league, the Miami Herald reported.