Dominican pitcher known for his lethal fastball who joined the Kansas City Royals in 2011 and helped the team win the 2014 AL Pennant and the 2015 World Series. In 2013, he won the World Baseball Classic while representing the Dominican Republic.
He was born in the town of Tenares and was signed by the Royals as an amateur free agent in 2006.
He did not have his first professional at-bat until Game 3 of the 2014 World Series.
His parents are Sebastian and Maria Mercado. He has a younger brother named Edward.
He and Yordano Ventura both pitched for the Royals against the San Francisco Giants in the 2014 World Series.
