Orlando Mercado

Orlando Mercado
Orlando Mercado
	Catcher
	Born: November 7, 1961 (age 64); Arecibo, Puerto Rico
	Batted: Right Threw: Right
MLB debut
	September 13, 1982, for the Seattle Mariners
Last MLB appearance
	September 30, 1990, for the Montreal Expos
MLB statistics
Batting average	.199
Home runs	7
Runs batted in	45
	Stats at Baseball Reference
Teams
	Seattle Mariners (1982–1984); Texas Rangers (1986); Detroit Tigers (1987); Los Angeles Dodgers (1987); Oakland Athletics (1988); Minnesota Twins (1989); New York Mets (1990); Montreal Expos (1990);

Orlando Mercado Rodríguez (born November 7, 1961) is a Puerto Rican former professional baseball player and coach. He played all or parts of eight seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers, Detroit Tigers, Los Angeles Dodgers, Oakland Athletics, Minnesota Twins, New York Mets, and Montreal Expos. From 2003 to 2010, he was the bullpen coach for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

Mercado signed with the Mariners in 1978, at the age of 16. He made his first MLB start on September 19, 1982, becoming the first player in modern major league history to hit a grand slam for his first hit.^[1] He was the Mariners' starting catcher to begin 1983, but was demoted to Triple-A in July, later returning as a September call-up. He split 1984 between the majors and minors, with his season ending in early September after suffering a hairline fracture in his left arm after being hit by a Danny Darwin pitch.^[2] Seattle traded Mercado to Texas for catcher Donnie Scott in April 1985.^[3]

Mercado became a local star for the Portland Beavers Triple-A franchise in 1989. He was inducted into the Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum Hall of Fame on May 22, 2004 in a pregame on-field ceremony at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California.^{[citation needed]}

After his playing career, Mercado began coaching in the Los Angeles Angels organization. He was the major league team's bullpen catcher from 2000 to 2002, then bullpen coach from 2003 to 2010. He was a roving catching coordinator in 2011.^[4] He was the hitting coach of the Trenton Thunder, the Double-A affiliate of the New York Yankees, in 2014.^[5]^[1]

Personal life

Mercado's son was selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 2003 MLB draft.^[1]^[6]

References

1 2 3 Francis, Bill (October 10, 2015). "Mercado makes long-awaited trip to Cooperstown". Baseball Hall of Fame. Retrieved June 3, 2026.
↑ Seattle Mariners 1985 Media Guide. pp. 36, 37.
↑ "Mickey Rivers, the outfielder who endeared himself to fans..." UPI. April 5, 1985. Retrieved June 3, 2026.
↑ Los Angeles Angels 2011 Media Guide. p. 169.
↑ "Orlando Mercado - Jobs in Baseball". The Baseball Cube. Retrieved June 3, 2026.
↑ "Orlando Mercado Minor, Winter & Independent Leagues Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved June 3, 2026.

External links

Career statistics from Baseball Reference · Fangraphs · Baseball Reference (Minors) · Retrosheet · Baseball Almanac
Baseball Almanac

Sporting positions

Preceded by

Bobby Ramos

Anaheim Angels/Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Bullpen Coach
2003–2010

Succeeded by

Steve Soliz

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[:0-1] 1 2 3 Francis, Bill (October 10, 2015). "Mercado makes long-awaited trip to Cooperstown". Baseball Hall of Fame. Retrieved June 3, 2026.

[2] Seattle Mariners 1985 Media Guide. pp. 36, 37.

[3] "Mickey Rivers, the outfielder who endeared himself to fans..." UPI. April 5, 1985. Retrieved June 3, 2026.

[4] Los Angeles Angels 2011 Media Guide. p. 169.

[5] "Orlando Mercado - Jobs in Baseball". The Baseball Cube. Retrieved June 3, 2026.

[6] "Orlando Mercado Minor, Winter & Independent Leagues Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved June 3, 2026.

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