Name: Michael Mercado
Position: RHP
Born: April 15, 1999
Country: US
Bats/Throws: R/R
Height/Weight: 6’4″ 160lbs
How Acquired: Drafted in the 2nd Round of the 2017 Draft by the Rays. Traded to the Phillies for Adam Leverett on November 6, 2023.
Signed: June 25, 2017
Bonus: $2,132,400
Options Remaining: 3
Rule 5 Eligible: 2021
MiLB Free Agency: 2023
Stats
Prospect Rankings
Role: Middle Reliever
Risk: Medium – Mercado’s ERA wasn’t great in the high octane AAA environment, but he struck out 12.7 per 9 with a bad, but not disastrous, walk rate at the highest level of the minors.
Summary: Mercado was a projectable high school starting pitcher when the Rays gave him a large overslot bonus in the 2017 draft. Injuries and the pandemic limited his time on the mound, and in 2023 the Rays moved him full time to the bullpen. His stuff ticked up, but the Rays didn’t have room on their 40 man roster to protect him from minor league free agency, so they traded him to the Phillies. By the end of the season, Mercado was throwing a fastball, cutter, and curveball, having scrapped his changeup from when he was a starter. His fastball averaged 96 mph and peaked around 98, and has solid but not outlier movement. His cutter is in the high 80s, and he has a bigger power curveball in the low 80s. His curveball is his big swing and miss pitch, especially vs RHBs, but it is still effective against lefties. Overall he showed even platoon splits, which will serve him well in middle relief, especially since he commonly went multiple innings towards the end of the year. Overall, he struggles enough with control and his fastball is hittable enough that he will likely not work in high leverage, but he could carve out a Connor Brogdon-esque 6th-7th inning role.
2024 Outlook: Mercado will likely get an outside chance to make the Phillies out of Spring Training, but it is more likely he goes to Lehigh Valley and is part of the Phillies 40 man reliever depth. He could appear with the major league club in an up and down role.
Role: Middle Reliever
Risk: Medium – Mercado’s ERA wasn’t great in the high octane AAA environment, but he struck out 12.7 per 9 with a bad, but not disastrous, walk rate at the highest level of the minors.
Summary: Mercado was a projectable high school starting pitcher when the Rays gave him a large overslot bonus in the 2017 draft. Injuries and the pandemic limited his time on the mound, and in 2023 the Rays moved him full time to the bullpen. His stuff ticked up, but the Rays didn’t have room on their 40 man roster to protect him from minor league free agency, so they traded him to the Phillies. By the end of the season, Mercado was throwing a fastball, cutter, and curveball, having scrapped his changeup from when he was a starter. His fastball averaged 96 mph and peaked around 98, and has solid but not outlier movement. His cutter is in the high 80s, and he has a bigger power curveball in the low 80s. His curveball is his big swing and miss pitch, especially vs RHBs, but it is still effective against lefties. Overall he showed even platoon splits, which will serve him well in middle relief, especially since he commonly went multiple innings towards the end of the year. Overall, he struggles enough with control and his fastball is hittable enough that he will likely not work in high leverage, but he could carve out a Connor Brogdon-esque 6th-7th inning role.
2024 Outlook: Mercado will likely get an outside chance to make the Phillies out of Spring Training, but it is more likely he goes to Lehigh Valley and is part of the Phillies 40 man reliever depth. He could appear with the major league club in an up and down role.