The questions for Mike Hazen had stopped, but the D-backs general manager had something left to say. And to him, the words were the most important he would speak Thursday.

Hazen, along with the rest of the D-backs’ front office, was reeling following the passing of international scout Johan Maya at age 40 due to COVID-19.

“Incredibly tragic, leaving behind his wife and children,” Hazen said via a Zoom conference call from San Diego. “This disease, this virus that we’ve spent a lot of time talking about -- it comes in many forms and fashions and it can act very quickly, and this is something that we’re all terribly sad over and it’s shaken our scouting community.”

Maya, who was based in the Dominican Republic, spent 15 years with the Houston Astros’ organization before joining the D-backs in 2019. 

A native of Venezuela, Maya is survived by his wife, Edulig, and three children. Edulig is pregnant with the couple’s fourth child, and according to ESPN.com, had battled COVID-19 prior to Maya contracting it. 

Hazen said that the D-backs’ organization led by managing general partner and team president/CEO Derrick Hall have pledged their support for Maya’s family.

“I just want to express on behalf of the organization, on behalf of Ken and Derrick -- Ken’s reaction was that he’s a member of the family and we’re going to take care of him and his family,” Hazen said. “I just want to be able to express our condolences as an organization to Johan’s family, his wife and children. I just want to be able to say that.”