St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Oscar Taveras, considered one of baseball's brightest prospects, was killed in a car crash in the Dominican Republic on Sunday, the team said in a statement.

The 22-year-old made his debut this year and played 80 games for the Cardinals, batting .239 with three home runs.

"We are all stunned and deeply saddened by the tragic loss of one of the youngest members of the Cardinals family," team chairman Bill DeWitt said in a statement. "Oscar was an amazing talent with a bright future who was taken from us well before his time."