Wilson Ramos, a catcher for the Washington Nationals baseball team was kidnapped this week in his hometown of Santa Ines, Venezuela.
According to witnesses the 24-year-old professional baseball player was taken away in an SUV after four armed men stormed his home 100 miles west of Caracas.
The announcement of Ramon’s kidnapping came from a spokeswoman for his winter team, the Aragua Tigers. On twitter the team spokeswoman said:
“This is sad, worrisome and true that Wilson Ramos has been kidnapped.”
While wealthy athletes and their family members often become the target of Venezuelan kidnappers this is the first known case of an MLB player being taken.
The Washington Nationals are expected to release a statement about their rising star in the near future, in the meantime his family is still waiting for his kidnappers to ask for a ransom.
Ramos joined the Nationals after being traded by the Minnesota Twins in 2010 for pitcher Matt Capps. His batting average with the Nationals during the full 2011 season was .267 with 15 home runs and 52 RBI in 113 games.
More to follow as this story continues to develop…
