Michael Mercado

David Michael Mercado (born April 15, 1999) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2024.

Tampa Bay Rays
Mercado attended Westview High School in San Diego, California. The Tampa Bay Rays drafted Mercado in the second round, with the 40th overall selection, of the 2017 Major League Baseball draft. Though he committed to attend Stanford University, Mercado signed with the Rays rather than attend college. He made his professional debut with the rookie–level Gulf Coast League Rays, logging a 1.69 ERA across 8 starts. Mercado made 11 starts for the Low–A Hudson Valley Renegades in 2018, registering a 5.22 ERA with 38 strikeouts across 50 innings pitched.

Late in 2018, Mercado suffered a torn ulnar collateral ligament and underwent Tommy John surgery, causing him to miss the entirety of the 2019 season. As he rehabilitated and endured the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown in 2020, he did not pitch professionally again until the 2021 season.

Mercado made 22 appearances (18 starts) for the High–A Bowling Green Hot Rods in 2021, recording a 5.35 ERA with 81 strikeouts over $70 2⁄3$ innings. He spent 2022 with the Double–A Montgomery Biscuits, compiling a 4–8 record and 4.91 ERA with 115 strikeouts across 24 games (20 starts).

Mercado split the 2023 campaign between Montgomery and the Triple–A Durham Bulls, accumulating a 4.79 ERA with 95 strikeouts and 6 saves over 52 appearances.

Philadelphia Phillies
On November 6, 2023, the Rays traded Mercado to the Philadelphia Phillies, who added him to their 40-man roster. He was optioned to the Triple–A Lehigh Valley IronPigs to begin the 2024 season. Mercado was promoted to the majors for the first time on June 23, replacing the injured Taijuan Walker. He made his major league debut the following day, pitching one scoreless inning.

On June 28, the Phillies announced that Mercado would be assuming Walker's vacant slot in the rotation. On July 2, Mercado made his first start, pitching five innings and earning the win.