Simon Mercedes

[Paradigm]

Simon Mercedes
 
6’7” 200 lbs
Throws Right
DOB: 2/17/1992
International signing
Signed for $800,000 in 2012
 
Three things about Mercedes:
 
1. Alex Speier has been blowing him up this spring.
 
http://fullcount.weei.com/sports/boston/baseball/red-sox/2014/03/25/buzz-from-the-backfields-red-sox-pitching-prospect-simon-mercedes-dazzles/
 

 
Yet Mercedes’ stuff on Monday, according to a number of members of the Red Sox organization, was not his best of the spring. Most pitchers, after all, were working with diminished velocity while making concessions to the rain that rendered the footing on the mound uncertain. In Mercedes’ prior outing, he’d worked at 95-100 mph (yes, one of his fastballs reached triple digits) while displaying a standout curveball. It was the sort of combination about which the Red Sox could daydream when they signed him out of the Dominican to an $800,000 bonus in 2012.
He’d shown neither that kind of velocity nor that power on his curve in his first full pro season in 2013, when Mercedes went 2-2 with a 3.13 ERA, 8.1 strikeouts and 2.4 walks per nine innings in 63 1/3 innings for Short-Season Single-A Lowell. He’d still been impressive with a low-90s fastball and a swing-and-miss change — particularly in his last six outings,when he punched out 37 and walked seven in 26 1/3 innings — but most evaluators considered him a likely bullpen arm in the future.
But it turned out that the massive right-hander had an injury in the tip of his right middle finger that, while not serious enough to stop him from pitching, hindered his curveball grip. With that injury seemingly healed, Mercedes has shown a power three-pitch mix this spring that could rekindle the possibility of remaining a long-term starter.

 

 
http://fullcount.weei.com/sports/boston/baseball/red-sox/2014/04/01/red-sox-minor-league-affiliate-roster-analysis-high-a-salem-red-sox/
 

 
 
– Right-hander Simon Mercedes forced his way past Greenville and to Salem with perhaps the standout performance among Red Sox lower-level minor leaguers in spring training. More on that here.

 
http://fullcount.weei.com/sports/boston/baseball/red-sox/2014/04/04/red-sox-minor-league-roundup-a-new-season-and-a-search-for-the-next-mookie-betts-begins/
 

 
– RHP Simon Mercedes (High-A Salem)
Like Callahan, Mercedes showed up in great shape this spring, and he showed outrageous stuff in his outings: a fastball that registered up to 100 mph, a diving swing-and-miss change and a swing-and-miss curveball that hadn’t been present last year in Lowell due to a finger injury. If he sustains his curveball, the 22-year-old will change perception and assert himself as a potential big league starter with multiple plus offerings.

 
First game was last night: 3.2 IP, 2 H, 0 BB, 4 K, 4/1 GB/FB
 
What do we have here?
 

 

[ItOnceWasMyLife]

A mercedes that can go 100 MPH. 
 
And yet another reason to watch the minor league forum.  Very exciting times for those of us that like to watch what goes on underneath the waterline.

 

[Paradigm]

Yesterday's matchup was against the Rangers High-A team (Myrtle Beach) which features a few good bats (Alfaro, Gallo, Williams). 

 

[Merkle's Boner]

Interesting that they've put him in the pen already. They must recognize that he has insane stuff but not a deep arsenal. I wonder if he could be a fast mover now that he is clearly focused on relief.

 

[Jed Zeppelin]

Interesting that they've put him in the pen already. They must recognize that he has insane stuff but not a deep arsenal. I wonder if he could be a fast mover now that he is clearly focused on relief.

 
As of now he's a piggyback starter. Last season he averaged about 5 innings per appearance even though he only "started" three games.

 

[HillysLastWalk]

soxprospects.com lists him as 6'4"

 

[fivejackace]

B-A has a great, um, film up of him

http://www.baseballamerica.com/minors/scouts-video-view-simon-mercedes/

(as opposed to a write-up, i guess)

 

[WenZink]

 
As of now he's a piggyback starter. Last season he averaged about 5 innings per appearance even though he only "started" three games.

 
Correct.  For the most part, he's pitching on a pre-arranged schedule and throwing until he hits his pitch count.  Last Monday (5/12), he started the game and pitched great with 7 K's and just 1 BB; 83 pitch count/53 strikes.  I'm guessing, that in the event of "piggyback" tandems, the pitcher that is showing the best pitch efficiency goes first, since you want to give him the chance to go deeper into the game.  Today, (5/18) Mercedes has earned the "start," and I'm guessing Cody Kukuk has been assigned the role of piggyback since his last effort only lasted 2.2 IP due to wildness.
 
Edit to add results of today's (5/18) start vs Carolina:  Poor performance, lasting only 3.1 IP with a pitch count of 71, of which only 33 were strikes.  Allowed 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 5 BB, 2 K.  Cuevas was the piggyback starter that finished the game, and he cruised over the last 4.2 IP , stranding the two inherited runners (of Mercedes) with just 2 H, 0 BB and 8 K.  Pitch count of 65/46 for strikes.

 

[WenZink]

In his last two starts (5/23 and 5/28) Mercedes has gone 6 IP in each, giving up a combined total of 3 R, 2 ER, 8 H, 4 BB, 8 K.  This is his first year of full season ball, although at 22, he's not one of the younger starters on the Salem staff.  (He was an "older" international signing in 2012, after having his first contract with the Giants, voided in 2011, because of a fake birth certificate.)
 
Mercedes has been touted as one of the "sleepers" in the Sox system by Callis and others.  He's a high-ceiling pitcher with a good fastball and a hard slider.  If he continues to put up top outings in A+ ball, look for him to be a fast climber.

 

[mabrowndog]

Mercedes was put on the 7-day DL today (making room for Matt Gedman, who was activated). No word on the nature or extent of the injury.
 

B-A has a great, um, film up of him

http://www.baseballamerica.com/minors/scouts-video-view-simon-mercedes/

(as opposed to a write-up, i guess)

 
It's also on Youtube:
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miJPOXxGTVU