Tamaqua's Mason Ligenza (left) stands in the batter's box during a Schuylkill League Division I baseball game between the Blue Raiders and Pottsville. Also pictured is Crimson Tide Alan Kushwarra (middle) and umpire Mark Onushco (right). Tamaqua edged Pottsville 2-1 at Tamaqua Area High School (Photo by Eli Doyle).

Mason Ligenza knew he had a chance to be drafted.

Throughout the spring, Tamaqua’s 6-foot-5, 197-pounder played in front of and worked out for countless Major League Baseball scouts. Ligenza, who projects as an outfielder, already had committed to play college baseball at the University of Pittsburgh, but he remained on the pro scouts’ radar.

On July 14, the second day of the Major League Baseball Amateur Player Draft being held in Atlanta, Ligenza was selected with the 195th overall pick by the defending world champion Los Angeles Dodgers. The pick was the 30th and final selection of the sixth round and comes with a slot value of $317,200. Ligenza will have to decide between playing college ball at Pitt or going pro right out of high school.

STORY: Dodgers select Ligenza in MLB Draft (LINK)

VIDEO: Mason Ligenza is Fanelli, Evans & Patel Athlete of the Week (LINK)

Chosen as the Division I Player of the Year by the Schuylkill League Baseball Coaches, Ligenza hit .448 (26-for-58) with 44 runs scored, 16 RBIs, four doubles and 11 home runs for the Blue Raiders, who finished 21-2, won a second straight Schuylkill League championship and reached the District 11 Class 4A title game before falling to Northwestern Lehigh.

STORY: Mateyak deals Tamaqua to 2nd consecutive Schuylkill League title (LINK)

VIDEO: Cooper Ansbach is Fanelli, Evans & Patel Athlete of the Week (LINK)

Ligenza’s and Tamaqua’s championship wasn’t the only highlight of another super successful high school baseball season.

In Class A, Nativity routed Notre Dame-East Stroudsburg in the District 11 final, then defeated Dock Mennonite and MMI Prep to advance to the PIAA Class A semifinals. Though their run ended there in a loss to Southern Fulton, the Hilltoppers made the deepest playoff push of any Schuylkill League baseball team.

Meanwhile, in Class AA, Tri-Valley added to its storied legacy by defeating Schuylkill Haven for the District 11 championship. The Bulldogs topped Holy Redeemer in the first round of states before falling in 10 innings to Mount Union in the quarterfinals.

The season Ligenza and the Blue Raiders put together comes in at No. 5 on the T102 Sports Now Top 10 Stories of the 2024-25 School Year as voted on by writers and broadcasters at t102sportsnow.com, WPPA/A-106 and T-102. To wrap up Year 1 and gear up for Year 2 of t102sportsnow.com, the staff is counting down the best stories of the past school year.

WPPA BROADCAST: Tri-Valley vs. Schuylkill Haven baseball, May 29, 2025 (LINK)

WPPA BROADCAST: Nativity vs. MMI Prep baseball, June 5, 2025 (LINK)

T102 Sports Now Top 10 Stories

Thursday, July 17: No. 10 — Minersville’s Dante Carr commits to play football at UCF

Friday, July 18: No. 9 — Schuylkill Haven wins first Schuylkill League girls’ basketball title

Saturday, July 19: No. 8 — Sage Smeltz’s senior season at Williams Valley

Sunday, July 20: No. 7 — Tom Gallagher resigns as Blue Mountain football coach, Chuck Kutz returns

Monday, July 21: No. 6 — Blue Mountain softball coach Mike Rollman passes away unexpectedly

Tuesday, July 22: No. 5 — Tamaqua’s Mason Ligenza gets drafted to cap banner high school baseball season

Wednesday, July 23: No. 4 

Thursday, July 24: No. 3

Friday, July 25: No. 2

Saturday, July 26: Top 10 views of the past year

Sunday, July 27: No. 1