Nick Adenhart

Nicholas James Adenhart was a professional baseball pitcher who was last signed with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim of Major League Baseball (MLB), before his death in a car crash in Fullerton, California on April 9, 2009. He was born on August 24, 1986 in Silver Spring, Maryland.

Adenhart was considered an accomplished pitcher before the age of 20. In 2003, he was awarded the Baseball America Youth Player of the Year. As Adenhart was about to enter his senior year after being picked in the first-round draft, he had to undergo Tommy John surgery for blowing out his elbow - a week following the Los Angeles Angels picked him in the 14th round. In that same year, area Scout Dan Radcliff and Scouting Director Eddie Bane were able to convince Adenhart to give up the University of North Carolina's scholarship offer and in exchange signed him to a bonus amounting to $710,000 on July 26, 2004.

Adenhart made his professional debut on May 1, 2008 when he started pitching for the Los Angeles Angels. He earned his only career decision, a victory, on May 12, 2008, against the Chicago White Sox in Anaheim, giving up four earned runs in 5â…” innings en route to a 10-7 Angels victory.

On April 9, 2009, Adenhart was involved in a car crash in Fullerton, California, just hours after being the starting pitcher in a game against the Oakland Athletics, where he pitched six scoreless innings for the Angels.

Adenhart earned his first career victory on May 12, 2008, against the Chicago White Sox in Anaheim, giving up four earned runs in 5 and 2/3 innings en route to a 10-7 Angels victory.

Nick Adenhart, a rookie pitcher for the Los Angeles Angels, died in a car crash early Thursday morning, just hours after pitching in a game in Anaheim.

The night before his death, Adenhart had pitched six scoreless innings, giving up seven hits, striking out five and walking three in just his fourth major league start.

On the morning of April 9, 2009,  Nick Adenhart was killed in a felony hit-and-run car accident, mere hours after he started a game against the Oakland A's. Police reported that an individual driving a minivan blew through a red light, causing a 2 car crash which killed 3 people, including Adenhart. It was also reported that the the person driving the van fled the scene, but was later caught and charged with felony hit-and-run, and that one of the other men killed in the crash was also affiliated with the Angels organization.

Adenhart was 22 years old.