Jordy Mercer | |
---|---|
Shortstop | |
Born: Taloga, Oklahoma, U.S. | August 27, 1986|
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
MLB debut | |
May 29, 2012, for the Pittsburgh Pirates | |
Last MLB appearance | |
October 3, 2021, for the Washington Nationals | |
MLB statistics | |
Batting average | .256 |
Home runs | 66 |
Runs batted in | 308 |
Teams | |
Medals |
Jordy Joe Mercer (born August 27, 1986) is an American former professional baseball infielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Detroit Tigers, New York Yankees, and Washington Nationals. Prior to beginning his professional career, he played college baseball at Oklahoma State University. He has also competed for the United States national baseball team in international competition. Mercer bats and throws right-handed.
Mercer attended Taloga High School in Taloga, Oklahoma. Mercer earned All-State honors in high school and played three seasons starting at shortstop for the Elk City Travelers of Oklahoma amateur baseball organization. Out of high school, the Los Angeles Dodgers drafted Mercer in the 26th round (796th overall) of the 2005 MLB draft. Mercer did not sign, as he did not feel ready for professional baseball. [1] Mercer attended Oklahoma State University–Stillwater, where he played baseball for the Oklahoma State Cowboys baseball team in the Big 12 Conference. At Oklahoma State, Mercer was a shortstop and pitcher, serving as the team's closer. He was named to the Big 12 All-Star Team as a utility player in 2006 and 2008. [2] He set the Oklahoma State record for saves. [1]
In the summer of 2007, following his sophomore year at Oklahoma State, Mercer joined the U.S. national baseball team. [3] He competed in the 2007 Pan American Games, winning silver, and 2007 World Port Tournament, winning silver.
Mercer competed for the U.S. team in the 2011 Pan American Games, winning silver. He also competed for the U.S. in the 2011 Baseball World Cup. [4]
The Pirates drafted Mercer in the third round, with the 79th overall selection, of the 2008 MLB draft, choosing him as a shortstop. [1] He began his professional career that season with the State College Spikes of the Class-A Short Season New York–Penn League, before he was promoted to the Hickory Crawdads of the Class-A South Atlantic League. In 2009, Mercer played for the Lynchburg Hillcats of the Class-A Advanced Carolina League, finishing fifth in the Carolina League and second in the Pirates' farm system with 83 runs batted in (RBI). [5] He was promoted to the Altoona Curve of the Double-A Eastern League in 2010. He began the 2010 season with Altoona, before receiving a promotion to the Indianapolis Indians of the Triple-A of the International League. The Pirates added him to their 40-man roster after the 2011 season to protect him from the Rule 5 draft. [6]
On May 29, 2012, the Pirates optioned Yamaico Navarro to Indianapolis and promoted Mercer to MLB. [7] Mercer recorded his first MLB hit off Cincinnati Reds pitcher Johnny Cueto on May 30, 2012. Mercer got only 9 at-bats with the Pirates before being sent back to Indianapolis on June 24, 2012. [8]
On May 3, 2013, Mercer was called up from Indianapolis and led the Pirates to a 3–1 victory over the Washington Nationals with a two-run home run. [9] On May 11, 2013 he had his first multiple home run game with two home runs against the New York Mets. [10] Mercer was sent back to Indianapolis when Neil Walker was activated from the disabled list on May 13. [11] Mercer was recalled on May 15 when John McDonald was placed on the disabled list. [12]
Mercer was named the new Pirates starting shortstop for the 2014 season, with Clint Barmes becoming his backup. [13] [14] In his first full season as a starter, Mercer hit .255 with 12 home runs and 55 RBIs in 149 games.
Mercer competed with Korean rookie Jung-ho Kang for playing time in 2015. [15] On July 19, 2015, Mercer suffered a leg contusion and sprained medial collateral ligament after being slid into at second base by Brewers outfielder Carlos Gómez. [16] Mercer's season was cut short to 116 games, hitting .244 with 3 home runs.
In 2016, he played in 149 games, establishing career highs in at bats (519), runs (66), RBIs (59) and walks (51). The following season, Mercer hit a career high 14 home runs in 145 games. In 2018, Mercer was placed on the disabled list on August 16 due to a calf injury. [17] He ended the season playing in 117 games, hitting .251 with 6 home runs.
After the 2018 MLB season, and eleven years in the Pirates organization, Mercer became a free agent.
On December 14, 2018, he signed a one-year $5.25 million deal with the Detroit Tigers. [18]
On April 13, 2019, he was placed on the injured list with a right quad injury. [19] He was recalled on April 30, but went back on the injured list May 8 and did not return to major league action until July 1. Mercer was solid at the plate over the last two months of the season, hitting .342 in August and .302 in September, to finish the 2019 season at .270. He also had 9 home runs and drove in 22 runs in 256 at-bats. Mercer became a free agent following the 2019 season.
On January 30, 2020, the Tigers signed Mercer to a minor-league contract with an invitation to spring training. [20] Mercer was released by the Tigers prior to the 2020 season in March; he re-signed with the Tigers on a minor league pact shortly after his release.[ citation needed ] Mercer made the Opening Day roster for the Tigers in 2020. [21] On August 6, Mercer was outrighted off of the 40-man roster and he elected free agency. [22]
On August 17, 2020, Mercer signed a minor league contract with the New York Yankees. [23] The Yankees promoted Mercer to the major leagues on August 28. [24] On September 1, Mercer was designated for assignment by the Yankees. [25]
On February 5, 2021, Mercer signed a minor league contract with the Washington Nationals organization. [26] On March 27, 2021, Mercer was selected to the 40-man roster. [27] On April 10, 2021, Mercer had 3 hits in his debut with the Nationals. On June 30, Mercer hit his first home run with the team.
On April 5, 2022, Mercer announced his retirement from professional baseball. [28]
Mercer and his wife, Kacey, have two sons. [29]
Mercer grew up an Atlanta Braves fan. [30]
Clint Harold Barmes is an American former professional baseball second baseman and shortstop. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 2003 through 2015 for the Colorado Rockies, Houston Astros, Pittsburgh Pirates, and San Diego Padres.
Ramón David Santiago Sanchez is a Dominican-American former professional baseball player, and minor league coach for the Detroit Tigers. Santiago played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as an infielder for the Detroit Tigers from 2002 to 2003, the Seattle Mariners from 2004 to 2005, again with the Tigers from 2006–2013 and with the Cincinnati Reds in 2014. He spent most of his major league career at shortstop, but also played a significant amount of time at second base, and occasionally third base. He is the only MLB player in history to hit a grand slam in his last at bat with a walk off home run. He accomplished this feat playing with the Cincinnati Reds with two outs in the bottom of the 10th inning on September 27, 2014 on a 1-0 pitch from the Pittsburgh Pirates' Bobby LaFromboise.
Donald Thomas Kelly is an American professional baseball utility player and coach. He is the bench coach for the Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played in MLB for the Pirates, Detroit Tigers, and Miami Marlins. Kelly played every position on the field in the major leagues, including pitcher. Over the course of his career, he mainly played the outfield and third base.
Michael Dennis Kelleher is an American former professional baseball player and coach. He played in Major League Baseball for the St. Louis Cardinals, Houston Astros, Chicago Cubs, Detroit Tigers, and California Angels. He coached for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Tigers, and the New York Yankees.
Robinzon Díaz Henriquez is a Dominican former professional baseball catcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Toronto Blue Jays and Pittsburgh Pirates. He was the bullpen catcher for the Milwaukee Brewers from 2017 to 2020.
Argenis Díaz is a Venezuelan former professional baseball shortstop. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2010.
Luis Alfonso Cruz is a Mexican professional baseball shortstop and third baseman for the Generales de Durango of the Mexican League. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Milwaukee Brewers, Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees and in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Chiba Lotte Marines, Yomiuri Giants and Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles.
Gerrit Alan Cole is an American professional baseball pitcher for the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Houston Astros. Cole played for the baseball team at Orange Lutheran High School, and was selected by the New York Yankees in the first round of the 2008 MLB Draft. Cole opted not to sign, and instead attended the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where he played college baseball for the UCLA Bruins.
Pedro Joel Ciriaco Leguisamon is a Dominican former professional baseball infielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) primarily for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Boston Red Sox, San Diego Padres, Kansas City Royals, and Atlanta Braves and has also had brief stints in the Texas Rangers, Miami Marlins, and Detroit Tigers organizations. Ciriaco has primarily played shortstop and third base throughout his career, but has appeared at every position except for pitcher and catcher.
Peter Michael Kozma is an American professional baseball shortstop for the Kane County Cougars of the American Association of Professional Baseball. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the St. Louis Cardinals, New York Yankees, Texas Rangers, Detroit Tigers, and Oakland Athletics. The Cardinals selected him in the first round of the 2007 MLB draft from Owasso High School in Oklahoma, and he made his MLB debut for them on May 18, 2011. He is 6 feet 0 inches (1.83 m), weighs 190 lb (86 kg), and bats and throws right-handed.
Matthew Donald Hague is an American former professional baseball first baseman and current minor league coach. Between 2012 and 2016, he played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Toronto Blue Jays, and in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Hanshin Tigers. Prior to beginning his professional career, he played college baseball at the University of Washington and Oklahoma State. In early 2020, he joined the Blue Jays organization as a coach.
Justin James Wilson is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Pittsburgh Pirates, New York Yankees, Detroit Tigers, Chicago Cubs, New York Mets and Cincinnati Reds. Prior to his professional career, Wilson played college baseball for the Fresno State Bulldogs, where he was a member of the 2008 College World Series champions.
Kyle Eric Lobstein is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Long Island Ducks of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. He made his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut with the Detroit Tigers in 2014, and has also played for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Washington Nationals.
Cole Bryson Tucker is an American professional baseball shortstop and outfielder in the Colorado Rockies organization. He made his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2019 and played with them through 2022.
Domingo Junior Leyba Santana is a Dominican professional baseball infielder in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization. He previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Arizona Diamondbacks and Baltimore Orioles.
Kevin Bradley Newman is an American professional baseball shortstop for the Cincinnati Reds of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Newman played college baseball for the Arizona Wildcats of the University of Arizona, before the Pirates selected him in the first round of the 2015 MLB draft. He made his MLB debut in 2018.
Clayton Walter Holmes is an American professional baseball pitcher for the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball (MLB). Holmes was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the ninth round of the 2011 Major League Baseball draft. He made his MLB debut with the Pirates in 2018, and was traded to New York during the 2021 season.
Oneil Cruz is a Dominican professional baseball player for the Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2021.
The 2019 Detroit Tigers season was the team's 119th season. This was the team's second year under manager Ron Gardenhire. They finished the season 47–114, their worst since 2003 when they went 43–119. It was their first 100-loss season for the team since said season. It was also the second straight season where any team finished with fewer than 50 wins, after the 2018 Orioles who themselves finished with only 47 wins. The Tigers only played 161 games in 2019 due to a late-season rainout in Chicago which was not made up due to both teams missing the playoffs.
The 2020 Detroit Tigers season was the team's 120th season. This was the team's third and final year under manager Ron Gardenhire, and their 21st at Comerica Park. The start of season was delayed by four months due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Tigers finished the season with a 23–35 record, ranking last in their division and third-worst in the major leagues, and missed the playoffs for the sixth consecutive season. For the second straight season, the Tigers pitching staff compiled the MLB's worst team ERA (6.37).