Heartbreaking news coming out of Illinois, as a middle school baseball player tragically lost his life in a car crash. Reportedly, the crash happened on Sunday at midnight when an SUV was involved in an accident on U.S. Route 136 under the Interstate 55 overpass.

The driver of the SUV was taken to the hospital and is currently undergoing treatment. The only other passenger who couldn’t be saved was later identified as a 13-year-old pitcher from Glenwood Middle School.

“The passenger in the vehicle, identified as Luke W. Peterson, a 13-year-old boy from Springfield, Ill., was pronounced dead at a medical center shortly after 1 a.m. local time on Monday,” Sam Gillette of People.com shared the news.

According to a news release from McLean County Coroner Kathleen Yoder, Peterson was rescued alive and taken to Carle BroMenn Medical Center, where he passed away at around 1.30 a.m. Monday. The preliminary reports concluded multiple injuries by force as the cause of death.

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Peterson played for Glenwood, Tribe Baseball, and Softball Academy. Glenwood Middle School offered a tribute via social media for their lost talent.

“Luke had an undeniable impact on the middle school team last fall as a 7th grader,” Glenwood Baseball noted. “His potential was limitless as a baseball player and young man.”

The school also made a memorial at the mound where Peterson was the winning pitcher of the Regional Championship game last fall. Tragically, that was his last game, too.

Peterson’s cap and baseballs are kept at the mound. Members are requested to offer baseballs in his memory.

“Everyone at Glenwood Baseball is deeply saddened by the sudden and tragic passing of Luke Peterson… Please keep Luke’s family in your thoughts and prayers during their time of profound grief. Forever in our hearts, Lukey P #13,” Glenwood Baseball shared.

The incident is still under investigation, and no cause of the accident has come to light yet. Officials haven’t revealed the driver’s identity either. We will wait for the final findings to conclude the tragic incident.

Meanwhile, we stand with Peterson’s family during his difficult time and pray for his departed soul.

MLB has a tragic list of lost young lives

Luke Peterson added himself to a tragic list of baseball players.

Back in 2014, Oscar Taveras (22 YO), the highly touted Cardinals outfield prospect, and his girlfriend were killed in a car crash in the Dominican Republic. Toxicology reports released in the days following the crash revealed that his blood-alcohol level was significantly over the legal limit. 

Then in 2016, José Fernández, the vibrant Marlins pitching star, tragically lost his life at 24 when his boat collided with a jetty in Miami Beach, Florida, stunning the entire baseball community. 

This February, MLB witnessed another tragic incident when Carter Johnson, 19, a freshman outfielder for the Iowa Lakes Community College baseball team, was killed after their team bus rolled over into a ditch on a rural highway in Iowa, injuring 32 others.

While recalling these incidents makes our hearts heavier than they already were, is there anything the league can do to prevent such events? We wonder…