, who defected from Cuba to sign with the Phillies organization and pitched briefly for Philadelphia at the Major League level in 2014, died Thursday in an automobile accident in his home country, the club confirmed. He was 34.
Signed to a three-year contract by Philadelphia in 2013, the hard-throwing righty starred for the Cuban national team before defecting to El Salvador in 2013. He then moved to Mexico, where he signed with the Phillies.
Gonzalez was projected to be a star in the Majors, but concerns over his health and age eventually dimmed big league interest in him and shrunk the size of his contract.