The Phillies announced Friday that they’ve signed outfielder Oscar Mercado to a minor league contract and invited him to big league camp this spring. He’s represented by Excel Sports Management. Philadelphia also confirmed its signing of infielder Christian Arroyo to a minor league deal and invitation to camp, as MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes reported yesterday.
The 30-year-old Mercado will give the Phillies a right-handed bat to join their outfield competition. He’s a veteran of five big league seasons who most recently appeared with the Cardinals in 2023, when he hit .290/.313/.387 in 20 games.
A 2013 second-round pick by the Cards, Mercado had a big rookie showing with Cleveland (who picked him up via trade) back in 2019, slashing .269/.318/.443 with 15 homers and 15 steals in 482 plate appearances. He’s yet to replicate that production in the majors but brings some speed and good bat-to-ball skills (career 19% strikeout rate) to the Phillies’ non-roster group this spring. In 973 major league plate appearances, Mercado is a .237/.289/.388 hitter. He can play all three outfield spots and has plus grades in center (10 Defensive Runs Saved, 7 Outs Above Average) in 951 big league innings there.
Mercado split the 2024 season between the Triple-A clubs for the Padres and Tigers, batting a combined .222/.308/.415 with a dozen homers and a 16-for-20 showing in stolen base attempts. He’s played in parts of six Triple-A seasons and tallied 1787 plate appearances there, with a .266/.347/.434 slash to show for his efforts.
The Phillies’ outfield right now includes Max Kepler, Brandon Marsh, Nick Castellanos, Johan Rojas and, to a lesser extent, utilityman Weston Wilson. The general expectation has been that Kepler and Castellanos would handle the corners, with Marsh and Rojas forming a platoon in center. Mercado creates some competition for Rojas in that regard. He’s a career .254/.309/.406 hitter against lefties, whereas Rojas carries a .258/.285/.340 output versus southpaws. Kepler has rough-looking career marks against lefties as well, though his production in recent years suggests he’s made considerable strides against southpaws; since 2022, he’s posted a roughly average .254/.319/.396 line against lefties (102 wRC+).
Mercado is not competing with Rojas, in fact he is not even part of the competition for the final bench spot. He is just depth for AAA since Phillies are short on prospects at that level.
They probably didn’t want to give up a 40 man roster spot, but I think the Phillies should have signed Dylan Carlson or Harrison Bader to the OF mix. Marsh does not pass the eye test in CF. Johan Rojas isn’t the natural platoon partner some may think either, as he actually somehow hit worse against LHP last year. Weston Wilson hits lefties, so I think he’s in line for AB’s in LF on the RH side. But I would have kept Marsh in LF and tried to trade for a RH CF like Jake Meyers. And if that wasn’t possible, signed Carlson in lieu of Kepler to keep CF warm for Crawford. Kepler might actually end up being a good acquisition, but it seems as though the Phils FO struck out on their original plans of addding an impact player ie Kyle Tucker. They were involved in those trade discussions, should have done whatever it took to get him. And I don’t think the Astros were asking for Miller, Painter or Crawford.
Marsh was ranked the 6th best CF in the league according to MLB Network. I think that’s an oversell, but saying he doesn’t pass the eye test is silly. He needs to be platooned, but he’s solid.
Marsh should be the everyday cf, only platooned against tough lefties. Rojas can’t hit major league pitching. Maybe D D can acquire a rh hitting outfielder that can spell Marsh, and or Kepler. Rojas has virtually no trade value, so aaa, is his ideal destination!!
Lol. Do you even follow the Phillies? Rojas hit exactly the league average last year, but some people carry on like he hit .145. Just what do you want or expect? How many players hit over .300 anymore?
The final destination for many fans should be AAA, if they can’t or don’t understand MLB
Reports at the time were the Astros did want Painter, Miller, and others. Thankfully Dombrowski wasn’t dumb enough to give up multiple top prospects for a one year rental. Would have been like the Yankees giving up top prospects just to have Soto go happily skipping away after one year for a ridiculous mega contract, which no doubt some teams like the Dodgers, Yankees, or Mutts will offer Tucker. Houston would be laughing at and thanking the Phillies for the next 8 – 10 years
I’m still waiting for a bullpen signing so we don’t have to give up prospects at the deadline
Couple of solid depth signings in Mercado and Arroyo.
GM is clearly on the ball.
Exactly my feeling. Two major league guys at AAA
Welcome Oscar the grouch
Nice to see Mercado back with Phillies. He had a great strikeout in 2022.
Somebody finally taking him off the Mercado
Iron pigs roster looking good
Oscar Mercado and Oscar “Spongebob” Gonzalez were once thought to be the up and coming stars in the Cleveland outfield.
The Phillies should sign Julio Iglesias. He might be the spark this team needs to win the World Series. He can sing OMG to pump up the all ready crazy fans in Philly. Castellanos already claimed the Iglesias was the real MVP last season. He based it on the intangibles that Iglesias brings. I know he doesn’t perform like a MVP, but he is a great clubhouse guy who looks like he can loosen up the Phills. The Phills are really one of the best teams in baseball and it’s a shame that they lost to the Mets. They looked stiff compared to the Mets in their playoff series.
If I were a GM, Iglesias would be an automatic signing. He just has that list of boisterous intangibles that many teams lack. He is a very good contact hitter, who doesn’t walk much, but I think you can put him at 7th or eighth in the order and have him platoon at second base and occasionally spell Bohm and Turner.
Mercado and Arroyo both from Tampa and drafted out of high school as SS by the Cardinals and Giants. They have mostly been AAAA players for their careers. Hope they have a good season and can stick in the majors all season.
Another guy to sign autographs in Clearwater and then have the fan ask who he is.