Sanchez was a Mariners prospect who Sanchez died last March, after he had been struck by a boat's propeller while swimming in the waters off Venezuela the previous month.
PEORIA, Ariz. — Mariners reliever Mayckol Guaipe has asked to change his uniform number from 53 to 48 for this season. Why? It’s to honor his former teammate, countryman and friend, Victor Sanchez.
Sanchez was a Mariners prospect who died last March, after he had been struck by a boat’s propeller while swimming in the waters off Venezuela the previous month. He underwent multiple surgeries and was in a coma before dying at age 20.
Guaipe and Sanchez played together in Everett in 2012 and later at Class AA Jackson in 2014.
Sanchez signed with the Mariners as an undrafted free agent at age 16 in 2011 for $2.5 million. He pitched for Class AA Jackson in 2014, posting a 7-6 record with a 4.19 ERA in 23 starts.
In 2013, he threw a no-hitter for Class A Clinton and was considered a rising prospect in the organization.