Phillies’ newest pitcher grateful to be part of the organization

After being drafted by the Tampa Bay Rays in 2017, it took nearly seven years for Michael Mercado to make his MLB debut. Injuries were the main reason for the delay. He had Tommy John surgery in 2019 and missed two seasons before pitching again in 2021.

The Philadelphia Phillies traded for him in the offseason, and last Monday, the right-hander finally got his chance to step on a major league mound. In that relief appearance, the 25-year-old pitched a 1-2-3 inning and recorded a strikeout. After the game, he indicated that he's happy to be a part of the Phillies organization.

Phillies’ newest pitcher grateful to be part of the organization

For any player making their first appearance in the big leagues is an exciting moment. That's no exception for Mercado. While it has only been one outing to this point, the right-hander's performance left a mark on Phillies manager Rob Thomson.

According to Dawn Klemish of MLB.com, Thomson had this to say about the rookie's outing: “He had really good depth and really good spin. Fastball’s 97 [mph] … all three hitters, first-pitch strikes. The poise was really good for a guy making his first appearance in the big leagues.”

The moment was not lost on Mercado or his family — who were able to make it to Detroit for the game — either. The Phillies No. 30 prospect spoke glowingly about his time in Philadelphia.

"It's been really fun, obviously. Getting a chance to be in the Phillies' organization as a whole has been a real privilege," Marcado said, per Klemish. "I've been surrounded by a lot of good catchers. I've gotten great tutelage from [pitching coach] Caleb [Cotham] and [director of pitching development Brian Kaplan] in Spring Training, then going to Triple-A and working with the coaches there -- they've all really helped me."

It seems as though this has been a common theme for Phillies pitchers and prospects of late. The organization has been getting the most out of its pitching staff because of the people Mercado mentioned in Caleb Cotham and Brian Kaplan.

Mercado's role will is expanding

For now, it looks like Mercado will have plenty of opportunities to pitch for the Phillies, given the recent injuries that have plagued the organization.

With the recent injuries to Taijuan Walker and Spencer Turnbull, Mercado will see time in the starting rotation. Given the fact that he pitched in both starting and relief roles with Triple-A Lehigh Valley, the right-hander is the leading candidate to fill the fifth spot in the rotation.

The 25-year-old rookie will have the opportunity to continue to impact the major league club in a big way. Mercado will look to take advantage of the expanded role and prove to the organization that he is worthy of staying on the 26-man roster. This is the chance he has been waiting for and he is happy to take that chance with the Phillies.