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2008 … Jordy Mercer, Oklahoma State (3rd round, 79th overall, to the Pirates)
The arrival of Korean infielder Jung-Ho Kang this year prompted calls from the Pirate faithful to get rid of Mercer. Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
It may not look like it on paper, but the St. Louis Cardinals had a very good 2008 draft. The Cardinals selected Lance Lynn out of Mississippi with its 2nd-round pick that year, and the right-hander has averaged more than 30 starts in his four full big league seasons. His career ERA so far? A very good 3.37.
Meanwhile, St. Louis shipped its 1st-round pick, Brett Wallace, and 2nd-round pick, Shane Peterson, with right-handed reliever Clay Mortensen to the Oakland Athletics for Matt Holiday. So I’ll chalk it up to a win. It could have been much, much better, though. Mercer was still available when the Cardinals took Peterson. By their third-round pick, however, he was gone. The Cards took high school shortstop Niko Vasquez at 91st overall. Vasquez flamed out in 2012 and just finished his third season in the independent Frontier League.
Mercer, meanwhile, is almost a carbon copy of Cozart. Good defensively but with an iffy bat that has shown potential at times. Rum Bunter gave him a C- for 2015. It’s not great, but again, he would have at least leapfrogged Kozma on the Cardinal depth charts. If only Mercer was the only shortstop the Cards missed in 2008.
Next: Errors at Short: #3