Beverly Hurler Named to Mets Major League Roster

A former southpaw hurler at Beverly High School has been named to the New York Mets 40-man roster.

Jack Leathersich was one of several minor league prospects recently named to the major league team’s roster. Last season, he was invited to participate in spring training with the major league club.

He was drafted by the Mets in 2011 in the fifth round.

Leathersich, 24, is expected to sign a major-league contract, according to an announcement from University of Massachusetts-Lowell, where he pitched after graduating from Beverly High School. He still holds school records in Lowell for the most strikeouts in a season and most strikeouts per nine innings.

Last season, in the Mets minor league system, Leathersich made 48 appearances combined at both AA Binghamton (N.Y.) and AAA Las Vegas, amassing a 3-3 record with a 3.31 ERA, according to UMass-Lowell.

The move to put him on the major league roster, in part, was designed to protect Leathersich during the Rule 5 draft later this month, where players can be drafted by other team with the condition that they remain on the major league team. All players on a 40-man roster are automatically protected from being drafted.