Seattle Mariners Lose Accomplished Minor League Arm to San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants signed pitcher Juan Mercedes to a minor league contract this week. Mercedes had been with the Seattle Mariners organization last season, helping the Arkansas Travelers win the Double-A Texas League title.
Per Jeff Young, who covers the Giants, on social media:
The #SFGiants have signed pitchers Joel Peguero and Juan Mercedes to minor league deals. Peguero posted a 3.14 ERA in 43 appearances with Detroit's Double-A club last year and Mercedes recorded a 2.87 ERA in 27 starts for Seattle's Double-A affiliate.
The #SFGiants have signed pitchers Joel Peguero and Juan Mercedes to minor league deals. Peguero posted a 3.14 ERA in 43 appearances with Detroit's Double-A club last year and Mercedes recorded a 2.87 ERA in 27 starts for Seattle's Double-A affiliate.
— Jeff Young (@BaseballJeff1) November 20, 2024
In addition to his ERA, Mercedes went 10-5 and struck out 126 batters. He paired with top prospect Logan Evans to make one of the better rotations in the Texas League. Mercedes had been with the Mariners ever since signing out of the Dominican Republic back in 2017. The Texas League honored him as "Pitcher of the Week" at the very end of the regular season. Now 24 years old, this is likely a tough loss for the Mariners.
While Seattle is built on its starting pitching at the major-league level, they don't have a lot of impact pitchers at the upper minors to serve as depth right now. Emerson Hancock has done the job admirably and Johnathan Diaz filled in in 2024, but they do need another wave of young arms coming up the pipeline in case someone gets injured.
Perhaps Mercedes will get his opportunity with the Giants, who finished fourth in the National League West a season ago, behind the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres and Arizona Diamondbacks.
The Giants are managed by former M's manager Bob Melvin, who is heading into his second year.
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