Los Angeles Dodgers Minor Leaguer Óscar Mercado was named Pacific Coast League Player of the Month for August, and prospect Yusniel Díaz took home the same honor in the Texas League.
Mercado, 28, was originally selected by the St. Louis Cardinals in the second round of the 2013 MLB Draft out of Gaither High School in Tampa, Florida. Most of the damage and production he contributed in the month of August was done in the San Diego Padres organization as a member of the El Paso Chihuahas.
On August 22, Mercado opted out of his deal and signed a Minor League contract with the Dodgers just a few days later.
Mercado had a terrific August between the two organizations, batting .325/.407/.738 and leading the league in slugging percentage. He ranked second in total bases (59), triples (two), home runs (eight) and on-base plus slugging (1.144). He was also second in total bases (59)
Mercado additionally finished third in RBI (27) during the month of August, had multiple hits in 10 games and a seven-game hitting streak from August 10-18.
The 28-year-old has had multiple stints at the Major League level in his career, playing in 298 games over five years and batting .237/.289/.388 during that period. Mercado garnered a handful of Rookie of the Year votes in 2019.
Díaz also tore the cover off of the ball in August. He slashed .390/.488/.720 and led the league in almost all the important hitting statistics, including average, hits (39), runs (26), home runs (nine), RBI (30), slugging percentage and OPS (1.208).
He also collected more walks than strikeouts, and posted hitting streaks of 11 and eight games. Díaz also had nine multi-hit games, including a career-high five hits on August 27 at Northwest Arkansas.
Dodgers prospect Yusniel Díaz shining
Díaz previously was named Texas League Player of the Week August 6 and won similar awards back in 2017 for the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes during his first stint in the Dodgers organization.
The Dodgers signed Díaz to a Minor League contract on November 21, 2015. He was involved in the trade that sent Manny Machado to the Dodgers at the deadline in 2018.
After the Orioles outrighted Díaz in 2022, he signed a Minor League contract with the Dodgers again, where he has flourished. In 87 games for the Drillers this year, Díaz has hit 290/.385/.498 with 15 home runs.
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