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Video surfaces of former Corpus Christi Hooks player beating fiancée

While playing for the Hooks, Vasquez was arrested in August 2016 on a misdemeanor assault family violence charge.

Warning: The video above may be too graphic for some viewers.

Former Corpus Christi Hooks player Danry Vasquez has been released by a Pennsylvania team after a video showing him beating his fiancée was released.

The Lancaster Barnstormers took to Facebook to announce the decision made by manager Ross Peeples.

“A recently released video out of Corpus Christi, Texas portrays a domestic violence episode involving Vasquez. Upon being made aware of the nature of the incident, the Barnstormers made a prompt decision to cut ties with the 24-year old outfielder,” the post states.

“There is no choice but to sever the relationship,” Peeples said. “Neither I, nor the Barnstormers’ organization as a whole, can condone or associate with that behavior.”

While playing for the Hooks, a minor league affiliate of the Houston Astros, Vasquez was arrested in August 2016 on a misdemeanor assault family violence charge.

Corpus Christi police said video footage from Whataburger Field showed Vasquez backhanding his fiancée repeatedly in a stairwell.

Click the player above to see the footage. Warning: The video may be too graphic for some viewers.

Major League Baseball suspended Vasquez indefinitely shortly after his arrest in 2016. Before he took a plea deal, he returned to his home country of Venezuela to play for a professional baseball team. At the time, his lawyer said his fiancée supported prosecutors' offer to have the case dismissed if Vasquez signed a confession and completed a 24-week batterer's intervention course.

Court records show a violation report was filed in April 2017. It stated Vasquez failed check in monthly with a pre-trial diversion program in-person, by mail or by email.

Former Corpus Christi Hooks player Danry Vasquez

It's unclear how the issue was resolved, but prosecutors had the case dismissed last week and said in court papers Vasquez completed the program.

A month before the incident in the stadium stairwell, Vasquez charged the mound after being hit by a pitch during a game against the Frisco RoughRiders. It escalated to a benches-clearing brawl.

Staff writer Eleanor Dearman contributed to this report. Stay tuned for updates.

Being abused?

Emergency: 9-1-1

Shelter: Contact The Purple Door, a nonprofit agency that offers free services to victims and survivors of family violence and sexual assault.

Hotlines: 1-800-580-4878 or 361-881-8888

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