When Justin Henry stepped off the field Wednesday night, the crowd and his team were buzzing.

Sadly, it had nothing to do with Henry’s performance.

Henry, the former Vicksburg High and Ole Miss star, is playing for Aguilas del Zulia, a team in the Venezuelan Winter League. On the other side of the country Wednesday night, Washington Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos — a Venezuelan native who also plays in the Winter League — was kidnapped by armed gunmen at his home.

Ramos was still missing this morning, and the crime has shocked the South American country.

“I found out about the kidnapping last night after my game on Twitter. Saw a lot of tweets about the situation, then started talking to my teammates to find out more info,” Henry said via e-mail. “I was obviously very shocked. It’s definitely a scary situation.”

Henry is safe. He said he doesn’t venture into Venezuela’s cities alone, and the team provides some security.

“Everyone is very worried about what has happened. Everyone is definitely taking every precaution necessary to make sure they are safe. This did happen on the other side of the country from where I am, but still it makes you even more aware of everything that is going on around you,” Henry said.

The 24-year-old Ramos, who had just finished his rookie season with the Nationals, was outside the front door at his home in the town of Santa Ines on Wednesday night when an SUV approached, armed men got out “and they took him away,” Ramos’ agent, Gustavo Marcano, told the Associated Press.

The incident was part of a troubling spike in kidnappings in Venezuela.

Venezuelan police said that 618 kidnappings were reported in 2009, and the numbers have grown rapidly in recent years. In 1998, just 52 kidnappings were reported. Security experts say the real number of kidnappings today is much higher because many cases aren’t reported to authorities.

The wealthy have taken steps to protect themselves. Sales of armored cars have soared in the past several years. Bodyguards typically shadow major leaguers when they return to their homeland to play in the winter league.

“Every major league player has his own security, but we don’t know if (Ramos) had his security there at that time,” Domingo Alvarez, vice president of the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League, told the Associated Press. Henry, whose family is still in Mississippi, said he feels safe and plans to stay with his team until the season ends in December.

“I plan on being here until right before Christmas,” Henry wrote. “It definitely makes you think about your own situation down here. I have felt very safe so far, and have been very pleased with the security our team provides for the players.”

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The Associated Press contributed to

this report.