When the Indians acquired Leonys Martin before the trade deadline last year, it was a practical move to shore up what had been a position of uncertainty for some time. No one could have foreseen what happened next, when Martin was struck down with a virus so lethal it almost claimed his life. Before the illness though, the trade signified the Indians liked what they saw in Martin and the veteran outfielder was expected to roam center field for the next year or two until a prospect was ready to take his spot.
On the same day Martin made the short journey across Lake Erie from Detroit to his new home in Cleveland, the Indians were busy adding another center fielder, a prospect who could potentially supplant Martin in the future.
His name is Oscar Mercado and he’s currently the most exciting Tribe player of spring training.
I was quietly pleased when the Indians announced they had brought the young Colombian on board via a prospect swap with the Cardinals. The fleet-footed former shortstop-now-outfielder is renowned for his elite speed and strong defense, but has dedicated himself these past two years on improving his prowess at the plate. The results have been encouraging, as Mercado hit .285/.351/.408 for the Triple-A Redbirds prior to his trade, with 8 homers and 42 RBI, plus 31 stolen bases. Once part of of the Indians organisation, Mercado slashed .252/.342/.320 in 32 games for Columbus as he adjusted to his new team and city.
At this point Mercado was considered by many to be another cog in the Indians’ outfield wheel of problems and misfits, but behind the likes of the more established trio of Tyler Naquin, Bradley Zimmer and Greg Allen, and even new additions like Jordan Luplow and Jake Bauers.
Then spring training began and Mercado came to play.
The 24 year-old has been scorching hot at the plate in his 27 at-bats thus far, firmly putting him among the contenders for an outfield spot to start the 2019 season. In the first big league training camp with his new team, Mercado has a team-best 12 hits, including a double and a triple, and 3 home runs for 8 RBI. His slashline is an impressive .444/.444/.889. If he can sustain this momentum for another fortnight, Francona and the Indians will find it extremely difficult to resist picking him for the 25-man roster.
Indians beat reporter Mandy Bell tweeted Francona’s comments below:
Terry Francona on Oscar Mercado: “My goodness, he’s really giving himself a chance because he’s so athletic to begin with, but when it starts carrying over to the batter’s box, man that’s fun to watch.”— Mandy Bell (@MandyBell02) March 10, 2019
Mercado appears to be stealing the show every time he’s in the lineup. Another memorable moment came on Sunday afternoon, a monster home run off Felix Hernandez during a 16-2 rout of the Mariners. I was relaxing with the game on TV, casually watching the third inning of yesterday’s game, when the crack of Mercado’s bat jolted me to attention. I saw the ball arcing deep into center field, the outfielders gazing helplessly at it, before it finally crashed high off the outfield wall for a prodigious solo homer. The right-handed hitting Mercado went 3-for-3 in the game overall, and the Indians could really benefit from a righty in a very lefty-dominated team.
Perhaps it’s too early to expect Mercado to make the leap straight from Triple-A to a starting spot on the Opening Day roster. 2018 was only his first year at the Triple-A level after all, so his experience with top-level pitchers has been limited. Also, y’know, spring training numbers have never been a great indicator for regular season performance. As much as I would love to see him start the year in the Cleveland outfield, I know deep down his development could be better served with a month or two in Columbus. The club has Mercado under control for at least the next six years, so there’s no need to rush him, especially when the AL Central is predicted to be so uncompetitive again.
Having said that, if he’s performing better than the current alternatives, shouldn’t he be given an opportunity? Would I prefer Mercado shadowing Martin in a corner outfield spot on Opening Day over the likes of Luplow and Naquin?
Absolutely.
Wherever he winds up on Opening Day, be it Cleveland or Columbus, consider the British branch of the Oscar Mercado Fan Club officially open for business. I hope the youngster continues to dazzle us with his abilities and ultimately provides the club with a meaningful contribution over the coming months and 2019 season.
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