web1_Railriders-Red-Wings-5.jpg

RailRiders erupt in eighth inning to put away Rochester at PNC Field

web1_Pedri.cmyk_.jpg

Luzerne County payroll contract questioned

<p>Who is this guy?</p><p>The Philadelphia Phillies drafted a Hazleton Area High School honor student who didn&#8217;t play high school baseball this season.</p><p>Left-handed pitcher Jhordany Mezquita, a 19-year-old native of the Dominican Republic, was selected by the Phillies on Tuesday in the eighth round of the 2017 Baseball Draft. Mezquita reportedly was followed closely by the Phillies International Scouting Department while he played in the Dominican Republic, but he apparently moved to Hazleton this past year.</p><p>He was listed on Hazleton Area&#8217;s honor roll in January.</p><p>Hazleton Area athletic director Fred Barletta doesn&#8217;t remember much about Mezquita, but said he was enrolled in the sophomore class at Hazleton Area this past year.</p><p>&#8220;He didn&#8217;t play any sports,&#8221; Barletta said. &#8220;If he was eligible, he could have been playing baseball for us and would have been the best pitcher in the Wyoming Valley Conference.&#8221;</p><p>Mezquita was listed as being affiliated with no school when the Phillies chose him with the 233rd overall pick.</p><p>According to the website Philly.com, the Phillies nearly signed the 19-year-old Mezquita last year during the international signing period, but Mezquita was ruled ineligible to be an international free agent after it was discovered that he had attended high school in America.</p><p>He left the Phillies international academy and returned to live with his parents in Hazleton. The 6-foot-1 Mezquita was ruled eligible for the amateur draft, but he never played high school baseball and American scouts never saw him.</p><p>Barletta remembers Cougars baseball coach Gino Cara coming to him with a question about eligibility back in the early winter.</p><p>&#8220;I think it was January, maybe early February at the latest,&#8221; Barletta said. &#8220;Geno Cara came into my office, they had a question about PIAA eligibility. I told him to get back to me with the birthday. As soon as I heard the birthday, I said, &#8216;He&#8217;s too old.&#8217;</p><p>&#8220;I&#8217;m wondering if this was the kid.&#8221;</p><style>
.neFileBlock {
	margin-bottom: 20px;
}
.neFileBlock p {
	margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;
}
.neFileBlock .neFile {
	border-bottom: 1px dotted #aaa;
	padding-bottom: 5px;
	padding-top: 10px;
}
.neFileBlock .neCaption {
	font-size: 85%;
}
</style>
<div class='neFileBlock'>
<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/web1_baseball.jpg">
<div class="neCaption"></div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/web1_baseball.jpg</photo0><caption0></caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Paul Sokoloski</p><p>psokoloski@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Paul Sokoloski at 570-991-6392 or on Twitter @TLPaulSokoloski</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Phillies take a chance on Hazleton pitcher nobody seems to know