Simon Mercedes
| IP | 302 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 4.56 |
| WHIP | 1.477 |
| BB/9 | 3.904 |
| SO/9 | 7.778 |
- Full name Simon Mercedes
- Born 02/17/1992 in Santo Domingo Centro, Dominican Republic
- Profile Ht.: 6'4" / Wt.: 240 / Bats: R / Throws: R
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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The Red Sox signed Mercedes for $800,000 in March 2012, after he had agreed to a $400,000 deal with the Giants in March 2011, only to have Major League Baseball kill it and declare him ineligible to sign for one year. He used the same name and birthdate on both contracts, and he finally received a U.S. visa in August 2012. As a piggyback starter at short-season Lowell in 2013, Mercedes posted a 3.13 ERA with a fine 3.4 SO/BB ratio in 63 innings. He pitched with aggressiveness with a heavy, mid-90s fastball, deploying a pair of secondary pitches that need further refinement. His low-80s breaking ball flashes solid-average potential but also morphs into a mid-70s slurve when he gets around the ball. His changeup has a long way to go, and without one he probably fits best in the bullpen. Given that Mercedes will be 22 in 2014, the Red Sox may push him from Lowell to high Class A Salem. -
In the murky world of Latin American signings, several players have had deals voided after Major League Baseball investigations into their identities and birthdays, only to land bigger bonuses from a second team. The Red Sox got burned when they landed Dominican righthander Carlos Matias for $160,000 in 2009, lost him when MLB didn't clear him, then saw him develop into a top prospect with the Cardinals after signing for $1.5 million as Carlos Martinez. In a reversal of that, Boston signed Mercedes for $800,000 in March 2012, after he had agreed to a $400,000 deal with the Giants in March 2011, only to have MLB kill it and declare him ineligible to sign for one year. He used the same name and birthdate on both contracts, and he finally received a U.S. visa and MLB approval last August. Mercedes has one of the heaviest fastballs in the system, sitting at 92-94 mph and topping out at 96. His hard curveball is a swing-and-miss pitch at times, but he sometimes gets under the pitch and doesn't command it well. He also throws a splitter to keep hitters off balance. Mercedes could become more efficient if he can smooth out his delivery. He draws physical comparisions to Guillermo Mota and could wind up in the bullpen if he can't refine his secondary pitches and command. He'll be 21 at the start of the 2013 season, so the Red Sox may send him to low Class A with just four innings of pro experience.
Minor League Top Prospects
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Mercedes originally agreed to a $400,000 bonus with the Giants in 2011, but the deal was never consummated because MLB investigated his background and declared him ineligible to sign for one year. The league eventually declared his age undetermined after the Red Sox signed him for $800,000 in March 2012, but the club elected to honor the contract rather than walk away. He skipped from the DSL last year to the NY-P this year and performed well. Mercedes has a physical, durable build and a loose arm. He works downhill with a 92-95 mph fastball that touches 97, and the pitch shows occasional late tailing action. At its best, his slider is a solid-average or slightly better pitch with good rotation in the 80-83 range, but sometimes it?s more of a high-70s slurve. Mercedes has at least a chance to start if he can improve his changeup and repeat his delivery better, but he is more likely to make an impact as a late-innings reliever in the big leagues.
