The Philadelphia Phillies had a relatively calm offseason as they prepared for the 2024 season. Aside from re-signing Aaron Nola and extending Zack Wheeler, the club made a number of peripheral moves to improve its pitching depth.
One of the more intriguing moves the club made was the acquisition of Michael Mercado in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays. The right-hander has been utilized as both a starter and a reliever and has shown great promise in his previous two minor league seasons. With a fastball that can reach 98 mph and a decent cutter and curveball, the Phillies believe he has the arm to make an impact.
He will now have the opportunity to play in the major leagues. He was called up to replace Taijuan Walker on the 26-man roster while the veteran is on the injured list.
Who is Michael Mercado, the Phillies’ most recent call-up?
The 25-year-old was a second-round pick by the Rays in 2017. He was rated a Top 100 prospect when drafted. He suffered an injury and had Tommy John surgery in 2019, missing the rest of the season as well as the abbreviated 2020 season.
In 2021, he returned to the field and served as both a starter and a reliever in the Tampa Bay development system. When the Phillies signed him, they expected his potential power arm to benefit the major league club. He was added to the 40-man roster and played in five spring training games for the team.
Mercado, now ranked No. 30 in the Phillies’ prospect system, showed signs of promise this spring. His debut outing was forgettable, as he gave up three earned runs in two-thirds of an inning. In his subsequent four appearances, he had a 1.80 ERA and struck out nine batters in five innings. He was optioned to Triple-A in March and has since made a positive impression.
Mercado has been deployed in relief and as a starter for Lehigh Valley, much as he was with the Rays. In four bullpen appearances, he held opponents scoreless for 6 and 1/3 innings while striking out hitters. During that brief period, he held opposing hitters to a.174 batting average while allowing three walks.
For the past few weeks, the majority of his labour has come from the rotation. Mercado had a 1.98 ERA over 41 innings, striking out little under one per inning. His total performance in Triple-A drew the attention of the Phillies, and he was recalled this past weekend.
“I was a little speechless,” Mercado admitted on his first day with the squad, according to Lochlahn March of The Philadelphia Inquirer. “It has been a long time. I know I deserve it. But you’re never quite prepared for it. And I’ve had so many great teammates and coaches over the years, and my family has been quite supportive. So it’s just very thrilling.”
When Walker went on the injured list, the organization stated that Spencer Turnbull would return to the starting rotation. This suggests that Mercado will fill in for Turnbull in his relieving role. He is versatile and stretched out enough to pitch numerous innings, but he can also go short relief and throw a high-90s fastball.
At this point, it is uncertain how long Walker will be out, so Mercado’s stay in Philadelphia could be limited. However, after a lengthy trip, he is finally getting his chance to make his big-league debut, and he intends to force the Phillies to keep him there.
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