(Sports Spectrum) White Sox catcher Yermín Mercedes played 617 games and recorded 2,128 at-bats in the minor leagues before manager Tony La Russa put him on the major-league roster as a third option behind the plate this season. Mercedes had appeared in just one MLB game.
It doesn’t appear he will be headed back to the minors any time soon. In his first start, Mercedes went 5 for 5 and drove in four runs in the team’s 12-8 win over the Angels on Friday.
“I just want to cry every time when I see I’m in the majors right now,” the 28-year-old said after his five-hit performance. “I just want to cry because it’s a long time. I’ve got a big history.”