SAN FRANCISCO -- Pablo Peguero, the Giants’ director of Dominican Republic operations, died unexpectedly at his home in Santo Domingo on Wednesday morning, the club announced. He was 68.

“The passing of Pablo Peguero brings great sadness to our organization,” president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi said in a statement. “Pablo was a beloved member of the Giants family and has been synonymous with baseball in the Dominican Republic for decades. Pablo was a great leader to our players and staff in the Dominican Republic, and a tremendous individual who always put others before himself. We express our deepest condolences to his family and will have them in our thoughts and prayers.”

Peguero, who was in his 18th season with the organization, oversaw the Giants’ scouting and player development operations in his native Dominican Republic. Prior to joining the San Francisco organization, Peguero worked in a similar capacity with the Dodgers, who brought him onto their Dominican Republic operations staff in 1984.

Peguero was a highly respected figure within the baseball community in his homeland, serving as the general manager for several Dominican Republic Winter League clubs, most recently the Gigantes del Cibao. He was also the GM of the Dominican Republic Olympic Team in the 1999 Pan American Games in Winnipeg, Canada.

“As great as he was a leader and an evaluator of talent, he was an extremely humble person with a big heart, that he filled with love for his family, friends, baseball and the San Francisco Giants,” director of international scouting Joe Salermo said in a statement. “Our hearts are heavy for him, his family, and the Giants family who knew him so well, but we celebrate him as he would have wanted us to.”

Peguero is survived by his wife, Xiomara, his daughter, Patxi and his son, Felix, who serves as the Giants’ assistant director of Dominican Republic operations and as an international crosschecker.