Former A’s minorleaguer Marte dies of COVID19
Miguel Marte, a former A’s minorleaguer, died of complications from COVID19 this week at age 30, the team announced Friday on social media.
Marte, a catcher and first baseman from the Dominican Republic, played in the Oakland system from 200812, reaching lowA ball Vermont, where he played with current A’s first baseman Matt Olson, among others.
Keith Lieppman, the A’s longtime director of player development, said that Marte was signed as an outfielder in 2008 but the team put him behind the plate early in his career.
“Miguel was a good catcher, blocked balls well, had some pop in his bat,” said Lieppman, who is now a special adviser in Oakland’s front office. “He was a wonderful kid, always had a smile on his face and he helped the coaches a lot with translating for other Latin players. He was a bit of a fatherly figure for the players.”
According to Lieppman, Marte was living in New Jersey and was working as a truck driver for an appliance store. He and his family had dreams of opening up a restaurant specializing in Dominican food. “He was an outstanding cook,” Lieppman said. “He cooked a lot for the other minorleaguers.”
News of Marte’s death comes about two weeks after A’s minorleague coach Webster Garrison, who was diagnosed with COVID19 in March, was taken off a ventilator. Garrison remains in the ICU in a Louisiana hospital.
Marte hit .251 with a .320 onbase percentage, 16 homers and 117 RBIs in his five seasons in Oakland’s system.
A GoFundMe has been set up to aid his wife, Jasmin, and his children, twins Isabella and Miguel Angel.