Minor league team cuts outfielder after domestic violence video released; case dismissed

Warning: This story contains graphic surveillance video. Viewer discretion is advised.



CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — A Pennsylvania minor league baseball team has cut an outfielder after a Texas police department released graphic video of a domestic violence incident for which the player completed a probationary sentence.

The incident happened in August 2016 at Whataburger Field -- home of the Corpus Christi Hooks minor league team.

At the time, Danry Vasquez, 24, was arrested and charged for the assault, but the case was dismissed after Vasquez agreed to a plea deal.

"It was an assault that occurred. We had all the evidence to prove it and we just allowed this individual to hopefully get the training and education so he wouldn't continue to assault people he has relationships with. I've seen the video and that's what happens in domestic violence cases. Every time a man or woman hurts each other, that's what it looks like and it's ugly and what I'm trying to accomplish is to stop that from happening. Probation checked with us and he had done everything we asked him to do, so I was forced to dismiss the case. I'm hoping Mr. Vasquez will be the poster boy for our program and never hurt somebody that he's in a relationship with. Only time will tell," said Mark Gonzalez, district attorney.

After the incident, Vasquez was released from the Houston Astros minor league organization, and he had since signed with another baseball team in Pennsylvania.

The Lancaster Barnstormers of the independent Atlantic League announced on their Facebook page late Tuesday, March 13 that they had released Vasquez after Corpus Christi police released to KRIS-TV in Corpus Christi security video of the Venezuelan native slapping and backhanding his fiancee several times.

At the time, Vasquez was a member of the Hooks, Houston's farm team in the Double-A Texas League. Major League Baseball suspended Vasquez indefinitely; independent leagues aren't subject to MLB's authority.