Breaking: Phillies silently cut ties with breakout rookie outfielder

His second stint with the Philadelphia Phillies came to a close over the weekend. The 30-year-old outfielder chose to opt out of his minor league contract and was subsequently released by the team, making him a new addition to the post-trade deadline free agent pool.

 

 

Originally a second-round pick by the St. Louis Cardinals in 2013, Mercado made a splash in 2019 during his rookie season with the (then) Cleveland Indians. He posted a .269 batting average along with 15 home runs and 54 RBIs, earning a spot among the top 10 in Rookie of the Year voting. He spent four seasons with Cleveland before being designated for assignment and later joining the Phillies.

Oscar Mercado’s second Phillies stint ends with opt-out and release

Oscar Mercado’s first stint with the Phillies was brief—he played in just one game in 2022 before being replaced on the roster by Bailey Falter. After that, he returned to the Cleveland Guardians for the rest of the season.

 

 

Over the past two years, Mercado moved between teams before rejoining the Phillies in February on a minor league deal with an invite to spring training. This season, he played 92 games for Triple-A Lehigh Valley, batting .252 with nine homers, 54 RBIs, and 35 stolen bases. His .373 on-base percentage was second-best on the team, trailing only Justin Crawford.

 

 

This past weekend, Mercado exercised the opt-out clause in his contract, resulting in his release and making him a free agent.

The move wasn’t unexpected, especially with the Phillies recently adding Harrison Bader to the big-league roster and sending Johan Rojas down to Triple-A. With limited opportunities to crack the major league outfield, Mercado’s path forward with the Phillies seemed blocked.

 

 

Still, thanks to his consistent Triple-A performance and prior MLB experience, he could be a valuable depth piece for another team, either in the minors or as a potential September call-up.

With his departure, the Phillies lose one of their more productive Triple-A outfielders as they continue to sort out their options.