Despite the team delaying the announcement, news finally broke that the long awaited outfield prospect Oscar Mercado is joining the Indians to make his MLB debut. His call-up will hopefully make an impact on this struggling Cleveland club and bring some energy to their lackluster lineup.
The 24 year-old is due to meet his new teammates today in Chicago, likely replacing Tyler Naquin, who has battled a calf issue in recent days (what is it with this team and calf problems?)
Mercado was a revelation in Spring Training, so much so that the team considered having him break camp with the 25-man roster. Terry Francona chose to have the young outfielder enjoy everyday at-bats with the Triple-A Clippers instead and Mercado made the most of his opportunity in the minors, showing the higher-ups exactly what they've been missing.
In Columbus, Mercado featured in 30 games and 140 plate appearances, hitting an impressive .294/.396/.496 with 4 home runs and 15 RBI, plus 14 stolen bases. Predominantly a center fielder, he does have the ability to play all outfield positions and this versatility will be very valuable for the Indians in the coming months.
I've been high on Mercado since the Indians acquired him during last year's trade deadline, and have been eager to see him reach the big club ever since. His Spring Training performances only served to reinforce my optimism.
The atmosphere surrounding the 2019 Indians thus far has been overwhelmingly negative, but the addition of an exciting, dynamic young prospect like Mercado could be just the breath of fresh air this team needs.
Despite never featuring as a consensus top prospect, Mercado's promotion has generated a level of anticipation that hasn't been felt in some time, for me at least. With the current outfield production so low, expectations are substantial for Mercado to have an impact, even though he's a rookie facing major league pitching for the first time. The learning curve will be steep but all signs point to Mercado being prepared for it.
To please this hungry fanbase and be an effective contributor, the young Colombian-American needs to display earnest effort and a level of stability not yet seen among his outfield peers. If Mercado can manage that, he'll quickly earn the respect and admiration of the fans.
I'll certainly be rooting for him and will be tune in later today to catch his debut against the White Sox - so long as Francona is sensible and starts him
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