College Baseball Player Dead At 19 After Dugout Collapse

A 19-year-old college baseball player tragically died in Pennsylvania this week ... after officials say he was seriously injured when a dugout collapsed on him.

The story is horrifying ... Central Penn College infielder Angel Mercado-Ocasio, a freshman, was helping a youth baseball league at a park in Harrisburg on Monday afternoon -- when tragedy struck.

According to City of Harrisburg spokesperson Matt Maisel, Mercado-Ocasio was working to take down a makeshift dugout that had been illegally built at the field ... but part of it fell suddenly, landing on the baseball player.

The teen sustained significant wounds and was rushed to the hospital ... but Maisel said he sadly passed away at 11:12 PM Tuesday.

"Our Central Penn College family is devastated by the loss of Angel," Central Penn College President Linda Fedrizzi-Williams wrote in a statement on Wednesday. "As friends who have become family, we are mourning the heart-wrenching loss of one of our own, a promising young athlete who senselessly lost his life while helping others enjoy the sport he loved so much."

Fedrizzi-Williams said the baseball team was able to say its goodbyes to Mercado-Ocasio on Tuesday ... adding, "No words can adequately express our anguish."

Mercado-Ocasio played in 17 games for Central Penn College this season, recording two hits, two RBIs and seven stolen bases.

He last suited up for the team just days ago ... on May 6.