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Oscar Mercado 2020 Outlook: A Cheap Power-Speed Combo to Target
Oscar Mercado wasn't expected to be an everyday starter in the Indians outfield last season but that's what wound up happening once he debuted in mid-May. He hit .304 over his first two weeks in the bigs and never looked back. He ultimately slashed .269/.318/.443 with 15 home runs, 54 RBI, 15 steals, and 70 runs scored in 115 games as a rookie. Mercado proved to be a nice source of speed that was freely available off waivers, along with enough power to be playable as a third or fourth OF option.
In leagues where OBP or OPS count instead of AVG, Mercado is less marketable. He walked less than 6% of the time and posted a .262 xBA that is far from elite. His main selling point is speed; Mercado's sprint speed ranked in the 97th percentile. If he continues to bat second in the order, he should also score enough runs to serve as a starter in most 5x5 leagues. If he should move down to the order in a revamped Indians lineup, Mercado's value would take a slight hit. All told, Mercado should be widely owned and looks to be a top-40 outfielder for fantasy purposes. He is currently going around pick 120 but should targeted just outside the top 100 overall picks if speed isn't addressed early in your draft.
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