Born in Scranton, Pennsylvania, growing up a Phillies fan and then attending Lehigh, there may not have been a better place for Mason Black to make his Major League Baseball debut than Philadelphia.
As fate would have it, that’s where he broke into the majors with the San Francisco Giants, opposite one of baseball’s best, Zack Wheeler, on May 6, 2024. He began with a perfect first inning, which included strikeouts of J.T. Realmuto and Bryce Harper, and retired eight of the first nine batters he faced. Black’s day ended with one out in the fifth inning, allowing five runs on eight hits, walking three and striking out four.
With less than 24 hours’ notice of his call-up, the location allowed a contingent of approximately 120 friends, family, former teammates and members of the Lehigh community to attend.
Black is the second Lehigh pitcher in as many years to make his major league debut. Levi Stoudt’s first MLB appearance came April 19, 2023, with the Cincinnati Reds.
