Twins prospect Ryan Costello was found dead early Monday in a hotel room in Auckland, New Zealand.
Costello, 23, had just signed with the Auckland Tuatara of the Australian Baseball League, and had been in New Zealand for less than a week.
He had been in the Twins organization since the middle of the 2018 season, and the team released a statement Monday morning:
Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN – The Minnesota Twins are deeply saddened to learn of the untimely passing of Ryan Costello yesterday in New Zealand. On behalf of the entire organization, the Twins send their most sincere condolences to Ryan’s family, friends, coaches and teammates. Ryan split the 2019 season between Single-A Ft. Myers and Double-A Pensacola, playing in 108 games.
Team officials say the third baseman died in his sleep, apparently of natural causes.
Concerns were raised when Costello failed to report for training Monday morning, days ahead of the team's opening game of the season.
The Auckland team released a statement:
"The Tuatara would like to express their deepest condolences to Ryan's family back home in the United States and to the whole Minnesota Twins organization. Support is being offered to the Tuatara players, who are naturally devastated at the moment."
Costello joined the Twins organization in 2018 when he was traded by the Seattle Mariners along with pitcher Chase De Jong for left-handed pitcher Zach Duke.
This past season, Costello split time between Twins farm teams in Fort Myers and Pensacola.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
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