Matt Kimbrel, the younger brother of former New York Mets pitcher Craig Kimbrel, died Saturday morning in a motorcycle crash in Huntsville, Alabama. He was 36.
The crash occurred around 8 a.m. when Matt Kimbrel, traveling at high speed, collided with a dump truck that was exiting Highway 432. Officials reported that he was unable to slow down in time to avoid the collision. He was transported to a hospital where he later died.
An investigation into the incident is ongoing. No criminal charges are expected.
Matt Kimbrel was drafted by the Atlanta Braves and played in the minor leagues. He was engaged to Genevieve Hartman, who posted on social media about his death.
"My fiancé passed away, and right now I truly don’t have the words," Hartman wrote hours after the crash. "I know there are people who love us and will have questions, but I’m asking for a little time and space before I’m ready to talk about what happened or say anything more. Please keep our family in your thoughts and prayers as we try to process this unimaginable loss. I’ll share more when I’m ready."
Craig Kimbrel, 38, recently signed with the Kansas City Royals, marking the 12th MLB team he has played for. He previously signed a minor league deal with the Mets in January but was designated for assignment in May, appearing in 14 games for the team. Kimbrel was originally drafted by the Braves in 2007 and made his MLB debut in 2010. He earned Rookie of the Year honors in 2011 and was later traded to the Padres in 2015.