Pa. baseball player fatally struck in face while dismantling unapproved dugout

HARRISBURG, Pa. — A college baseball player died after he was struck in the face when a makeshift dugout he was helping to dismantle collapsed on him this week.

Angel Mercado, 19, was a middle infielder who had just completed his freshman season at Division II Central Penn College. He was playing in a summer recreation league that held its games and practices in a park in Harrisburg.

The coach of Mercado’s team had built a makeshift dugout there out of wood on Sunday, but city officials told him it wasn’t allowed. Mercado was among a group of players dismantling the structure Monday afternoon when it unexpectedly collapsed and he was struck in the face.

Mercado suffered a traumatic head injury and was taken to a hospital, where he died on Tuesday. The Cumberland County coroner’s office ruled the death an accident.

“Nothing criminal happened here,” city spokesman Matt Maisel said. “No charges will be filed against the coach. No charges will be filed against anyone. This is simply a tragedy.”

During the school’s commencement ceremony on Thursday night, some students paid tribute to Mercado by wearing his initials and baseball jersey number on their graduation attire.