In the Driver's Seat, Mercedes Off to Fast Start
It’s more than fair to say that Yermín Mercedes has been the talk of Major League Baseball so far this year. So, how does a player who spent parts of eight seasons in the minors and another in the Independent Pecos League become one of the game’s most talked about
It’s more than fair to say that Yermín Mercedes has been the talk of Major League Baseball so far this year. So, how does a player who spent parts of eight seasons in the minors and another in the Independent Pecos League become one of the game’s most talked about players? He hits at a remarkable rate and he does so with a big smile on his face.
After just one major league at-bat last year, Mercedes broke camp with the White Sox this season and got off to a quick start with a perfect 8-for-8 showing at the plate. It hasn’t stopped there. Through his first eight games this season, Chicago's newest star has accumulated a .500 batting average with two home runs and seven RBIs. Add in a 485-foot blast – the longest home run of the season thus far – and the former Charlotte Knights slugger is making national headlines during his first full run at the majors.
The man, the myth, the legend.
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) April 8, 2021
Yermín Mercedes! pic.twitter.com/Vo24IaoOkm
ROAD TO THE MAJORS
The road to the majors has been a long one for the 28-year-old native of La Romana, Dominican Republic. He signed his first contract with a Major League Baseball team (Washington Nationals) on March 3, 2011 as an 18-year-old. He spent his first three professional seasons playing in the Dominican Summer League (2011-13). On August 24, 2013, he was released by the Nationals. He spent the next few months splitting time in Independent baseball with three different teams – two in the Pecos League and another in the United League Baseball. He clubbed 15 home runs in 37 games with the White Sands Pupfish and later earned his way back in affiliated baseball when the Baltimore Orioles signed him to a minor league contract on September 8, 2014.
Mercedes spent the next three years (2015-17) making his way through Baltimore’s system. In 2016, he hit .353 (120-for-340) with five triples, 14 home runs, and 60 RBIs with Delmarva (Low-A). He combined to hit 20 home runs that season between two levels (hit four at High-A Frederick). He added 16 more home runs in 2017, with 16 of those coming at Frederick. He hit 44 home runs during his three-year tenure in Baltimore’s system.
Enter the Chicago White Sox.
WHITE SOX ORGANIZATION
On December 14, 2017, Mercedes was selected by the White Sox from the Orioles in the Triple-A Phase of the Rule 5 Draft. In his first season in Chicago’s system in 2018, he appeared in 103 games with the Winston-Salem Dash (High-A) and hit an impressive .289 (104-for-360) with 58 runs scored, 24 doubles, one triple, 14 home runs and 64 RBIs. He was named as a Carolina League Postseason All-Star and earned Player of the Week honors earlier in the season.
It was in 2019, however, that Mercedes began to get even more noticed. It helped that he excelled at the minor’s highest level – Triple-A.
KNIGHT TIME
Mercedes hit .310 (58-for-187) with 35 runs scored, 12 doubles, 17 home runs, and 62 RBIs in 53 games with the Knights in 2019. He hit .317 (26-for-82) with 17 runs scored, six doubles, seven home runs, and 28 RBIs over 24 games in August/September combined and was named the Chicago White Sox Minor League Player of the Month (August/September). The Chicago White Sox Minor League Player of the Month award is voted on each month by a panel of Chicago-area media members.
2019 COMBINED
For the season, he hit .317 (106-for-334) with 54 runs scored, 19 doubles, 23 home runs, and 80 RBIs over 95 games between the Double-A Birmingham Barons and Charlotte Knights.
YEAR OF YERMÍN
Now, 10 years later from when he signed his first pro contract, Mercedes is the break-out player he knew he could be. And, he’s taking the entire league by storm.
The Yermínator!@whitesox | #MLBTonight pic.twitter.com/aANFsAy9ce
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) April 5, 2021
SETTING RECORDS
Mercedes became the first player in major-league history to start a season with eight consecutive hits, breaking the previous mark set by Cincinnati’s Chris Stynes (seven) in 2007 (Elias). He went 5-for-5 on Friday, May 2 at the Los Angeles Angels and then began Saturday’s game (May 3) at Angel Stadium with three consecutive hits. He also launched his first career major league home run that day.
The Dominican native also became the first player in major-league history to go 5-for-5 in his first career start, and joined Washington’s Cecil Travis (5-7 on 5/16/33 vs. Cleveland) as the only players in the modern era (since 1900) to record five hits in his first career start. He is the first designated hitter in White Sox history to record a five-hit effort.
🚨 new @MLB record alert 🚨 pic.twitter.com/U40sjnBqOh
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) April 4, 2021
WINNING AWARDS
Mercedes notched his first Major League weekly award as he was named American League Player of the Week for the period of April 1-4. It was Chicago’s first weekly honor since Lucas Giolito in August 2020, and the first for a position player since José Abreu in August 2020. The last Sox rookie to earn a weekly honor was Eloy Jiménez in September 2019.
The Yermínator!
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) April 5, 2021
Chicago White Sox designated hitter Yermín Mercedes has been named American League Player of the Week for the period of April 1-4, his first career weekly honor. pic.twitter.com/VLgfWeo4ET
The 2021 season is far from over and there is plenty more excitement to come from Mercedes this year. Stay tuned!