Outfielder Óscar Mercado opted out of his minor league contract with the Padres, reports MLBTR’s Steve Adams (X link). San Diego did not call him up, so the 29-year-old heads back to free agency.
Mercado signed with the Friars over the winter. He mashed in Spring Training but didn’t break camp and has spent the season with Triple-A El Paso. Mercado’s production in the Pacific Coast League has been below average. He’s hitting .226/.307/.425 in a very favorable league for hitters. His .231 average on balls in play certainly hasn’t done him any favors, as Mercado’s 9.1% walk percentage and 16% strikeout rate are both solid.
A former second-round pick, Mercado appeared in the majors each season between 2019-23. He looked like a potential everyday center fielder as a rookie in Cleveland, though his production dropped off sharply from there. Since the start of 2020, he owns a .206/.262/.334 slash in nearly 500 big league plate appearances.
Mercado is still capable of playing all three outfield positions. He logged a decent amount of action in both center and right field this season. He’s an above-average runner who swiped 12 bases in 16 tries for El Paso. His camp will presumably pursue another minor league contract with a team seeking non-roster outfield depth.
If he was a shortstop they’d give him an extension
He was a shortstop when he was coming up. Not a good one, but he was one.
Being a major league shortstop is much different than being a minor league shortstop.
Well aware (that’s why I said he wasn’t good) also that was like a decade ago. I’m just saying, that in relation to an extension at some point…there’s a chance.
I’m sure one of the deadline sellers will pick him up
Wouldn’t be surprised if Giants sign him and he’s their starting CF by next Monday.
I guess you could say he’s putting himself back on the… Mercado
They regularly leave out the most basic but useful info. Also now when u go to look those stats up in a separate window and come back to comment it clears requiring you to go back to the main page and reclick on the article. That is made even more diffult by the banner ad that comes down and blocks the main page link. I’ve been on here since the beginning and very grateful for what the site was. Those days are over which is sad. Either pay up or get a mediocre site now
@CBeisbol
I subbed for a month. A sub only chat never occured. Or at least it didn’t pop up for me. I got a few emails. The no ads was convenient but apart from that, nothing was different. I visit this site multiple times a day, but I’d rather deal with the page as-is, instead of paying for fantasy baseball emails to fill my spam folder.
He had every chance to get called up with Tatis hirt, but he just didn’t perform in a hitter friendly league. It’s a shame since he looked decent in spring training.
He passes the eye test but year after year he doesn’t hit. Wish him well.
How critical is it to cite minor league wRC+?
They tell you it is in a hitters league. They don’t have to spoon feed people everything. Many fans use more than one site for a variety of reporting/insight. They aren’t here to be your Walmart of baseball info.
You must work there since you’ve also added nothing useful
It’s more useful than continuing to visit a site you don’t like only to complain. It sounds like it’s a skill issue for you because banner ads are a non-issue if you have slightest computer literacy.
Happy that your mom let’s you out of the basement to use the family computer. I told her to give you some time on there once in a while but I couldn’t hear her response cause her mouth was stuffed
That’s the response of a normal person without anger issues.
Is grandpa upset he can’t work the calculator?
They say it’s underwhelming for the environment. Should they do a couple sentences about why every time someone from the PCL moves? They cant add everything. You’d find another stat to make a snark comment about if they did.
Maybe make your own site. Or apply when they are looking for writers. You could try what normal people do and just add extra info they find interesting in the comments and not use it as a way to chastise the writer.
If he just wants a big league job then the jays should pick him up. Don’t get me wrong I want them to play some younger guys to see what they have and to get there feet wet. Now though there are only 2 things other then the above that are important. 1 everyone finishes the season I’m good health relatively. What I mean is that yes there are always some off-season surgeries but as long as no one else is going to miss time I’m ST or the early season then that’s a win. 2 and most importantly get the highest draft pick you can. If the jays can get a pick in the 10-13 range then that’s amazing
As of today they are looking at pick 8/9