Rico Carty, a former MLB player who had a 15-season career and won the National League batting title in 1970 while with the Atlanta Braves, has passed away at the age of 85.

A close friend of the family informed the Listín Diario, a newspaper from Carty’s homeland of the Dominican Republic, that he died in an Atlanta hospital on Saturday night.

“Carty was among the pioneering Latino stars in Major League Baseball, becoming a symbol of pride for many in his hometown of San Pedro de Macoris, in the Dominican Republic, and in Atlanta, where he was cherished by fans,” noted a statement from the MLB Players’ Association.

Carty hailed from San Pedro de Macoris, a city famed for producing baseball talent, and joined the Milwaukee Braves, marking his MLB debut in 1963.

He finished as a runner-up for the NL Rookie of the Year award in his second season, achieving a remarkable .330 batting average, along with 22 home runs and 88 RBIs.

His standout year was 1970, when he topped the NL with a .366 batting average and a .454 on-base percentage, alongside 25 home runs and a career-high of 101 RBIs, earning his sole All-Star selection that season.

“Few players connected with Braves supporters like Rico Carty did,” the team remarked in a social media statement. “He quickly became a fan favorite after the franchise moved to Atlanta from Milwaukee in 1966 and left a lasting impression on the Braves organization.”

Throughout his career, Carty was traded multiple times, playing for a total of six teams. He wrapped up his time in the majors with a .299 batting average, 204 home runs, and 890 RBIs across 1,651 games.