Panezich to try out for Phillies system

By John Kovach

The Austintown native plays in the Canadian-American League.

Cliff Panezich of Austintown has been invited to a tryout with the Philadelphia Phillies.

A catcher for the Sussex (N.J.) Skyhawks of the Canadian-American League, Panezich was extended the Phillies’ invitation when the Skyhawks were playing in Ottawa recently.

“I actually have a workout with the Phillies at the end of September in Atlantic City. One of the scouting directors saw me play in Ottawa,” said Panezich, an Ursuline High and Martin Methodist College (Pulaski, Tenn.) graduate.

“I went 4-for-7 for two games with a couple of doubles and a home run,” Panezich said. “He liked how I swung the bat. I could get signed into the minor league system.”

Panezich is hitting the ball well for the Skyhawks, but has played in only 15 games because he is behind a veteran.

“I have been starting about every seven or eight days,” said Panezich, who is 14-for-41 for .341 with 10 runs, four homers and nine RBIs.

The Skyhawks (50-39 record) won a berth in the playoffs on Wednesday.

Panezich earned a spot with the Nighthawks after a tryout following his successful senior season with Martin Methodist (33-24-1).

“I went to the Indy pro showcase workout in Detroit in the middle of June,” he said of his opportunity after leading Martin Methodist in home runs this season with 21 while batting .321 on 63-for-196.

Panezich said the Canadian-American League is an independent league not affiliated with the major leagues minor league system. There are about seven or eight independent leagues.

He said the league has teams in Ottawa and Quebec, and the rest of the teams are from East Coast from Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut and New Jersey.

kovach@vindy.com