Mercedes named Carolina League Player of the Week

Dash backstop is second in league in second-half OPS

Yermin Mercedes is second the Carolina League in batting average since June 21. (Robert Hill/Winston-Salem Dash)

August 7, 2018

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (Aug. 6, 2018) - Dash catcher Yermin Mercedes has been named Carolina League Player of the Week for July 30-August 5, the league office announced Monday. Mercedes becomes the fourth member of the Dash to earn a weekly Carolina League honor in 2018, following Micker Adolfo (April 5-15),

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (Aug. 6, 2018) - Dash catcher Yermin Mercedes has been named Carolina League Player of the Week for July 30-August 5, the league office announced Monday. Mercedes becomes the fourth member of the Dash to earn a weekly Carolina League honor in 2018, following Micker Adolfo (April 5-15), Jimmy Lambert (April 23-29) and Dylan Cease (April 30-May 6).
Mercedes, who ranks fourth in the circuit with a .297 average and is third in the league with a .381 on-base percentage and .491 slugging percentage, went 6-for-11 with a double, two home runs and four RBIs during the week.

The 25-year-old backstop posted one of his best games of the season on August 4 at Down East, going 3-for-4 with a home run, three RBIs and three runs scored in an 11-0 win for Winston-Salem. The next day, he blistered the Wood Ducks with a 2-for-2 performance, notching a double, his second home run in as many days, two runs scored and two walks.
After batting .253 in the first half, Mercedes is batting .353 in 35 games through the second half to raise his average to just below .300. His .297 average is second on the team, and he ranks third on the Dash with 10 home runs.
Mercedes has been one of the hottest hitters in the league in the second half, ranking second in the league .993 OPS since June 21. More recently, in his last 10 games, Mercedes is batting .414 (12-for-29) with three home runs, eight RBIs and 10 runs scored.