Óscar Mauricio Mercado...Engaged to Madi Davidson...2013 graduate of Gaither High School (Fla.)…Earned U.S. citizenship in March 2018 during Spring Training...His twin sister, Nathalia, went to dental school at Temple University...Signed his letter of intent to play college baseball at Florida State...Hobbies: Golf and playing video games...Signed by: Charlie Gonzalez and Fernando Arango.
2024
Was a non-roster invitee to Spring Training with SD...Began the season with El Paso (AAA) and was released on 8/1...Signed a Minor League contract with DET on 8/23 and spent the remainder of the season with Toledo (AAA)...In 93 total games with El Paso and Toledo, combined to slash .222/.308/.405 (.713 OPS) with 11 doubles, five triples, 12 HR, 50 RBI and 16 stolen bases.
2023
Spent the 2023 season with three different organizations (STL, SD & LAD)…appeared in 15 Major League games for the Cardinals, as well as 34 games for Triple-A Memphis (STL), 31 for Triple-A El Paso (SD) and 15 for Triple-A Oklahoma City (LAD)...Slashed .488/.512/.756 and posted seven multi-hit efforts across a 10-game stretch from April 18-30...Posted his first four-hit effort since the 2019 campaign on April 30 at Durham…it was his seventh career four-hit game, trailing only his five-hit effort for Triple-A Columbus in a July 2018 contest...Was hitting .276 (35-for-127) on the season with 14 SB in 17 attempts for MEM at the time of having his contract selected by STL on May 17...Appeared in 20 games for STL from May 17-July 1, hitting .290 (9-for-31) with two stolen bases...Hit. 450 (9-for-20) with a pair of three-hit efforts in his first week with the Cardinals from May 17-24, including a career-high-tying five RBI on May 21 vs. LAD...Went 0-for-11 across his 12 games played for STL from May 25-July 1…designated for assignment by STL on July 3, elected free agency on July 5 and was signed by SD to a Minor League contract on July 7...Hit safely in 22 of his 31 games for Triple-A El Paso at a .339 clip (42-for-124), including 16 multi-hit efforts…posted seven consecutive multi-hit games from Aug. 10-18, slashing .455/.500/1.061 over that stretch...Released by SD on Aug. 21 before signing with LAD as a Minor League free agent on Aug. 25...Hit safely in 10 of his 15 games played for Triple-A Oklahoma City at a .259 clip (15-for-58)...Earned Pacific Coast League Player of the Month honors for the month of August...On the season, made 51 appearances (all starts) in CF, 19 in RF (all starts), six as the DH (five starts) and five in LF (four starts)...Played for Colombia in the 2023 World Baseball Classic in March, going 4-for-13 (.308) at the dish.
2022
Began the season on the Cleveland Opening Day roster and played in 55 games, his fewest in a single Major League season not shortened by COVID...Hit his first career grand slam in the third game of the season at KC (4/10), a first inning blast off Taylor Clarke, as part of a six-run inning en route to a 17-3 win...Was placed on waivers and claimed by Philadelphia (6/27). Played in one game with the Phillies vs. Atlanta (6/30) and scored a run before being placed on waivers and claimed by Cleveland (7/4)...Would play in only five more Major League games before being designated for assignment and finishing the season in Columbus (AAA)...Posted an .812 OPS at Columbus, batting .281 with seven doubles, three triples, and five homers, while stealing nine bases...Finished the season batting .362 (25-69) with 17 RBI over 21 games in Sept. with eight multi-hit games.
2021
Spent the last three months in Cleveland following March 21 option to the Columbus Alternate Site and eventual June 28 recall to Cleveland, spending the remainder of the regular season at the ML level...On the year appeared in 45 games in LF (36GS), 20 games in RF (14GS) and seven games in CF (6GS)...Batted .294 (25-for-85) LHP with an OPS of .817 compared to .178/.243/.326/.568 vs. RHP...Was 4-for-9 as a PH and ended the season on a season-high 6-game hit streak... Equaled his single-game career-high with 4 RBI on July 10 vs. KC...Connected for first career walk-off HR, Sept. 23 vs. CWS(2), a 2-run shot off José Ruiz...Spent first three months at AAA Columbus, batting .216 (37-for-171) w/13 2B, 5 HR, 23 RBI in 45 games (.327/.392/.718)…Was T-4th in the Triple-A Northeast with 13 2B at time of recall.
2020
Season never gained traction, posting a .128 batting average and .348 OPS over 36 games...Started on Opening Day in center field and recorded the go-ahead RBI single in the 5th inning of the 2-0 win...Was optioned to the Alternate Training Site in Lake County, August 17-30, and spent the last month of the season on the Major League roster...Was hitting .111 (5-for-45) at the time of his August 17th option...Hit .146 (6-for-41) upon his return...Did not record a multi-hit game on the year and hit .107 (3-for-28) vs. LHP and .138 (8-for-58) off RHP...Was 4-for-36 (.111) w/men on and batted .150 (3-for-20) w/RISP...Made 19 starts in CF (21 G) and 7 starts in LF (12 G).
2019
Made his Major League debut with Cleveland on May 14 at Chicago-AL and played his way into the American League Rookie of the Year conversation...Led American League rookies in stolen bases (15) and runs scored (70) and finished third in hits (118) and T3rd in doubles (25)... His 15 homers were the most by a Tribe rookie since Ben Francisco (15 in 2008)...Only Jody Gerut (22, 2003), Russell Branyan (16, 2000) and Ben Broussard (16, 2003) have hit more since 2000... Garnered three third-place votes to finish eighth in the AL Rookie of the Year voting, two points shy of Vladimir Guerrero Jr. for 7th...Spent the first six weeks of the season in AAA Columbus, batting .294 (35-for-119) with 10 doubles, 1 triple, 4 home runs and 15 RBI in 30 games (.396/.496/.891), stealing 14 bases in 17 attempts while scoring 24 runs...At the time of his May 14 recall he was leading the International League in steals, 6th in doubles and 9th in extra-base hits (tied) and runs... He appeared in 28 games in CF, 5 games in LF and 4 games in RF while hitting .326 (14-for-43) with runners on base...Batted .400 (16-for-40) in exhibition play this spring in his first Major League camp with the club...Recorded his first career hit on May 18 vs. Baltimore (John Means) and connected for his first career homer on May 26 vs. Tampa Bay (Oliver Drake)...Enjoyed his first career two-homer game on July 15 vs. Detroit and went 5-for-5 with 2 runs scored on July 19 vs. Kansas City...Also had a 4-hit game on July 27 at Kansas City...Career-high 4 RBI on June 16 at Detroit and recorded a walk-off single on June 11 vs. Cincinnati... His best month was June, batting .318 (34-for-107) with 8 2B, 1 3B, 3 homers and 13 RBI in 26 games...Was the club's primary center fielder, making 77 starts (82 games) in CF, 20 starts in left field (24 games) and 7 starts in right field (9 games)...Batted .323 (31-for-96) with runners on base...From Sept. 4-24, he batted .347 (26-for-75) with 6 2B, 5 HR and 18 RBI, T3rd-most RBI in the AL in that span and T10th in batting average...His 7 sacrifice bunts ranked tied for T3rd among AL batters.
2018
Acquired at the 2018 trade deadline, hit a combined .278 (135-for-485) with 26 2B, 2 3B, 8 HR, 47 RBI and 37 steals...Recorded professional career-bests in runs (85), doubles, RBI and on-base pct. (.349)...Spent the first four months of the 2018 season with the Triple-A Memphis Redbirds, batting .285 (109-for-382) with 21 doubles, 1 triple, 8 home runs and 42 RBI in 100 games (.351/.408/.759)...Rated as the 5th-best prospect in the Indians system by ESPN's Kieth Law (entering 2019 season)...At the time of the trade was leading the Pacific Coast League in stolen bases (31-for-39), was second in runs (73), tied for fourth in hits (109) and was leading the Cardinals system in steals and runs...Rated the 10th overall prospect in the Cardinals system according to MLB.com at the time...Combined on the year between the two stops appeared in 113 games in center field, eight games in left and nine games in right...Over his last 17 games with AAA Columbus, he batted .344 (21-for-61).
2017
Made the full conversion from shortstop to outfield, playing 108 games in centerfield, starting 104 ... Named to the Texas League Mid-Season All-Star team. Started in left field for the North squad and batted in the No. 5 position going 1-for-4 in the game ... Led the Texas League in stolen bases (38) and caught stealing (19) ... Ranked among the Texas League leaders in batting (.287, 10th), hits (137, 5th) and runs (76) ... Recorded career-highs in hits (137), runs (76), home runs (13) and RBI (46). Matched his season high with four triples ... Hit first career grand slam vs. Arkansas (4/28), a 7th inning shot off Peter Tago ... Had two games with two stolen bases (5/15 vs. Tulsa & 6/16 vs. Arkansas) ... Participated in the World Baseball Classic for Colombia and appeared in two game, scoring one run ... Rated as the "Best Defensive Outfielder" in the Cardinals organization by Baseball America.
2016
Converted from shortstop to outfield in late July. Started 80 games at shortstop, 38 games in centerfield and one each at third base and right field ... Matched his career-high with three stolen bases at Jupiter (4/22). Had four games with two or more stolen bases ... Ranked T2nd in the Florida State League with 33 stolen bases ... Ranked among Cardinals minor leaguers in doubles (23, 6th) and stolen bases (33, 2nd) ... Led the FSL in caught stealing (20) and fielding errors (32).
2015
Named to the Midwest League Mid-Season All-Star team. Started at shortstop and batted No. 8 for the West squad going 0-for-2 in the game with a stolen base ... Led the Midwest League in stolen bases (50) and caught stealing (19) ... Led all Cardinals minor leaguers in stolen bases and ranked in the Top 10 in runs (70, 3rd), hits (120, T7th) and doubles (23, T8th) ... Had 11 games with two stolen bases including twice in backto-back games ... Reached base safely in 21 straight games (7/18-8/12).
2014
Led the Appalachian League with 26 stolen bases, ranking 3rd among Cardinals minor leaguers ... Ranked among the Appalachian League leaders in at-bats (245, 3rd) and runs scored (41, 4th) ... Batted .400 with a double, triple, 5 RBI and 7 stolen bases in the Appy League playoffs ... Stole a career-high three bases at Burlington (7/14) and had four games total with two or more stolen bases.
2013
Posted three games with two stolen bases, all against the GCL Nationals ... Led the GCL Cardinals with 12 stolen bases, ranking T11th in the Gulf Coast League.
