Mark Merchant

{{Infobox MLB player

| name = Mark Merchant

| image =

| image_size =

| team =

| number =

| position = Outfielder

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1969|1|23}}

| birth_place = Dunkirk, New York, U.S.

| death_date =

| death_place =

| bats = Switch

| throws = Right

}}

Mark Alan Merchant (born January 23, 1969) is an American former professional baseball player whose career spanned ten seasons in minor league baseball, parts of one season in the Northern League, and one season in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. A highly rated prospect out of Oviedo High School, Merchant was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates with the second overall selection after Ken Griffey Jr. in the 1987 Major League Baseball draft. During the 1989 season, the Pirates traded Merchant to the Seattle Mariners as a part of a five-player deal.

Early life

Merchant was born on January 23, 1969, in Dunkirk, New York. He attended Oviedo High School in Oviedo, Florida, where he played baseball.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=mercha001mar|title=Mark Merchant minor league Statistics and History|work=Baseball-Reference|publisher=Sports LLC|accessdate=March 16, 2013}} He was named to the all-state team his junior year.{{cite news|title=Floridian quickly signs pack|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1129&dat=19870603&id=SOlRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ym4DAAAAIBAJ&pg=5116,485165|last=Halvonik|first=Steve|newspaper=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette}} In his senior season, Merchant had a batting average of .419 with seven doubles, two triples, five home runs, and 23 runs batted in (RBI). He successfully stole 48 bases out of 49 attempts,{{cite news|title=Mariners Make Griffey Jr. First Pick in Draft|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=MxAhAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Y3IFAAAAIBAJ&pg=6112,563956|newspaper=The Schenectady Gazette|agency=United Press International|last=Nathan|first=David E|date=June 3, 1987}} and was again named to the all-state team. Coaches from District 7 of the Florida Athletic Coaches Association named Merchant the Florida Player of the Year.{{cite news|title=Faca Honors 9 Longtime Coaches|url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/1987/04/14/faca-honors-9-longtime-coaches/|date=April 14, 1987|first=Bill|last=Buchalter|newspaper=Orlando Sentinel }} According to the Orlando Sentinel, it wasn't "uncommon" to see dozens of scouts at Oviedo's games.{{cite news|title=Merchant's Wares On Baseball's Shopping List|url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/1987/06/01/merchants-wares-on-baseballs-shopping-list/|date=June 1, 1987|newspaper=Orlando Sentinel |last=Ewing|first=Creig}}

For scouts, he ran the 60 yard dash in 6.6 seconds, which The Atlanta Journal-Constitution considered a good time.{{cite news|title=Braves, picking 6th, consider drafting college player first|url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=AT&p_theme=at&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB7C2BCA4B9F4AE&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10|newspaper=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution|page=D-8 |date=May 31, 1987|url-access=subscription }} The newspaper also said that, outside of pitchers, he had the best throwing arm in the 1987 Major League Baseball draft. Writing for Sports Illustrated, Peter Gammons considered Merchant to be the second best prospect available, behind Ken Griffey Jr.{{cite magazine|title=Baseball|date=June 1, 1987|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1066030/index.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131224195428/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1066030/index.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 24, 2013|last=Gammons|first=Peter|magazine=Sports Illustrated}} In the draft, the Pittsburgh Pirates selected Merchant second, after the Seattle Mariners had chosen Griffey Jr. first overall. Within three hours, he signed a contract with the Pirates.

Professional career

=Pittsburgh Pirates and Seattle Mariners=

Merchant began his professional career with the Rookie League's Gulf Coast League Pirates. For the Pirates, he batted .265 over 50 games. While with the Pirates, Merchant improved his base stealing ability by working with coach Joe Tanner. Merchant was surprised with his own success at making the transition between high school and professional baseball.{{cite news|title=Mark Merchant's sole flaw is said to be with his throwing motion|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Gt4cAAAAIBAJ&sjid=SWMEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3807,1912719|date=August 17, 1987|newspaper=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette}} In 1988, the team promoted him to the Augusta Pirates of the Class-A South Atlantic League, where he played with future MLB players Moisés Alou and Orlando Merced.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/team.cgi?id=59ee9388|title=1988 Augusta Pirates|work=Baseball-Reference.com|accessdate=March 17, 2012}} Merchant's season ended when he separated his left shoulder diving for a ball.{{cite news|title=Pirates Still Are Buying What Merchant Offers|url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/1989/04/06/pirates-still-are-buying-what-merchant-offers/|date=April 6, 1989|last=White|first=Russ|newspaper=Orlando Sentinel }} In 60 games, he had a .242 average and two home runs.

Going into the 1989 season, Augusta manager Stan Cliburn said Merchant would be the team's cleanup hitter after a strong performance in spring training. Merchant and pitcher Mike Walker were considered to be the top two prospects in the Pirates organization.{{cite news|title=M's trade Quinones|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=h7syAAAAIBAJ&sjid=zu8DAAAAIBAJ&pg=2260,4462426|agency=Associated Press|date=April 22, 1989}} After 15 games in Augusta, the Pirates traded Merchant, Walker, and Mike Dunne to the Seattle Mariners for pitcher Bill Wilkinson and shortstop Rey Quiñones. The Pirates made the trade to find a replacement for shortstop Rafael Belliard, who was struggling offensively, and to compensate for injuries.{{cite news|title=Pirates swap Dunne for Quinones|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=w_BHAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Vv8MAAAAIBAJ&pg=5083,5017039&dq=mark-merchant&hl=en|agency=Associated Press|date=April 22, 1989|publisher=Record-Journal}} Merchant finished the season with the Class A-Advanced San Bernardino Spirit, where his batting average dropped to .210; his 66 walks and 114 strikeouts, however, both led the Spirit.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/team.cgi?id=2f885bb0|title=1989 San Bernardino Spirit|work=Baseball-Reference.com|accessdate=March 17, 2012}}

In 1990, Merchant played for both the Spirit and the Williamsport Bills of Double-A. Bone spurs in his right arm caused him to miss most of the 1990 season.{{cite news|title=Ex-oviedo Star Fights For Shot With Reds|url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/1994/03/17/ex-oviedo-star-fights-for-shot-with-reds/|first=Gary|last=Graves|date=March 17, 1994|newspaper=Orlando Sentinel }} When playing, his batting average of .314 was the fifth-best on the Spirit, but his average of .137 was the third-worst on the Bills.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/team.cgi?id=59ce5c9e|title=1990 San Bernardino Spirit|work=Baseball-Reference.com|accessdate=March 17, 2012}}{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/team.cgi?id=9611c729|title=1990 Williamsport Bills|work=Baseball-Reference.com|accessdate=March 17, 2012}} Remaining with Seattle, Merchant played for the Advanced-A Peninsula Pilots and the Double-A Jacksonville Suns in 1991. In 1992, he played solely for the Suns and led the team in strikeouts.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/team.cgi?id=b2ec5be1|title=1992 Jacksonville Suns|work=Baseball-Reference.com|accessdate=March 17, 2012}} His stolen base total had decreased from a combined 14 with the Pilots and Suns last season to just 3 in 1992. After the season, the Mariners released Merchant; after he was released, Merchant considered changing careers.

=Cincinnati Reds=

Electing to remain with baseball, Merchant signed a contract with the Cincinnati Reds in April 1993. He spent the majority of the season, 109 games, with the Double-A Chattanooga Lookouts, but also played in three games for the Triple-A Indianapolis Indians. Combined, Merchant batted .298 with career highs in RBI (61) and home runs (17). Merchant attributes his success to regaining his hitting form: Jacksonville coaches tried to alter it, but in Chattanooga, "nobody wanted to change anything". Prior to the 1994 season, Reds manager Davey Johnson said Merchant could have competed for a position on the MLB team if he had had experience as a first baseman or as a catcher.