Luis Valbuena and Jose Castillo killed in crash

A spokesperson for the Cardenales de Lara, Valbuena and Castillo's team in Venezuela, confirmed to Fletcher the two had died, and the team's official Twitter account announced the news early Friday morning.

Venezuelan police said the players' vehicle overturned after hitting a rock while they were traveling to Barquisimeto following a game in Caracas.

Valbuena spent the past two seasons playing with the Angels and, prior to that, spent two years with the Astros, three years with the Cubs, three with the Indians and part of one season with the Mariners.

The club tweeted, "We are living a terrible tragedy in Cardenales de Lara".

In this 2017 photo, Los Angeles Angels third baseman Luis Valbuena throws out Tampa Bay Rays' Kevin Kiermaier on a sacrifice bunt during the fifth inning of a baseball game in St. Petersburg, Fla.

He also played for the Pittsburgh Pirates and San Francisco Giants during five major league seasons. "Our thoughts and prayers are with their loved ones during this time of grief", the Angels said in a statement.

He said players travelling behind Valbuena and Castillo "saw when the vehicle lost control and could not do anything".

The Astros - for whom Valbuena played 222 games in 2015 and 2016, and Castillo played 15 games in 2008 - paid tribute to both in a prepared statement. He recorded a.254 batting average, 39 homes runs and 218 career RBIs. He's played in the Venezuelan Winter League every year since 2006.