Championship New Mexico Baseball Coach Killed in Motorcycle Crash

Jeff Kiraly, a beloved baseball coach at Piedra Vista High and former professional player himself, died in a motorcycle crash on Friday, July 31, according to reports.

Jeff Kiraly, a beloved baseball coach at Piedra Vista High, died in a motorcycle crash on Friday, July 31, according to reports. Kiraly led the Panthers to a state championship this past spring. | KOB Eyewitness News 4 in Albuquerque

The community of Piedra Vista High, located in Farmington, New Mexico, is mourning the sudden loss of its beloved baseball coach Jeff Kiraly.

Kiraly died on Friday, July 31 in a motorcycle accident in southwest Colorado, according to a report from Albuquerque Journal prep editor James Yodice.

Kiraly was just months removed from leading Piedra Vista to a Class 5A championship. The Panthers went 27-4 this past spring and capped the season with a 10-0 win over Cleveland High in the state final.

In Yodice's report, the Colorado State Patrol said Kiraly died around 2 p.m. Friday, near milepost 55 on U.S. Highway 550, between Durango and Silverton north of the Purgatory Resort, which is roughly 30 miles north of Durango.

"It is believed Kiraly's motorcycle and the motorcycle of another man, an unidentified 73-year-old from Texas, got tangled, causing Kiraly to lose control and crash. It was not immediately known if Kiraly was traveling north or south. He was pronounced dead at the scene; the other man was seriously injured and hospitalized," Yodice's report reads.

Kiraly was 53 years old and is survived by wife Janette and their children Trent and Kylee.

KIRALY WAS A BASEBALL STANDOUT

Kiraly was a standout baseball player himself growing up in New Mexico. He was an all-state player at La Cueva High before graduating in 1991. The left-handed first baseman earned Gatorade State Player of the Year honors before getting drafted in the third round to the New York Mets. He elected to play professional baseball instead of playing at Arizona State, where he signed to play his college ball.

He spent four seasons in the minors.

Jeff Kiraly, who tragically died in a motorcycle accident on July 31, was a third-round pick of the Mets in 1991. | Kards4Smiles/X

Kiraly became the head baseball coach at Piera Vista in 2019. He was inducted into the La Cueva High School Hall of Fame in 2017.

MESSAGE TO THE COMMUNITY

Piedra Vista released the following statement to the school community about the death of Kiraly.

Dear Piedra Vista Family,

Our school community is deeply saddened by the passing of a giant among us, Coach Jeff Kiraly. Coach Kiraly’s impact on our students, staff, and broader community was immeasurable, and his loss will be felt for a long time to come. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family, students, colleagues, and friends during this difficult time.

We are sharing this news ahead of our return to school so that our community has time to process before students and staff are back together in the building.

Grief affects everyone differently, and there is no right or wrong way to feel right now. To support our staff and students through this loss, members of our counseling team will be available all week to meet individually or in small groups, both in scheduled sessions and on a drop-in basis, for anyone who needs a space to talk, ask questions, or simply be with others who understand.

In the coming days, we will continue to check in with students and staff, and we will share additional information as needed. Please know that our entire school family, teachers, counselors, and administrators, is here for you and your children during this time.

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to our staff.

With deepest sympathy,

Piedra Vista High School