DeWitt Clinton player drafted by Oakland A’s

Dennis D’Alessandro was looking down at his clipboard taking notes on a previous freshman hitter when he heard “crack, then crack, then crack,” said the baseball coach of the DeWitt Clinton Governors. 

“I expected to see a monster standing there. Instead, I saw Melvin.” 

The coach was referring to Melvin Mercedes, who was one of 200 or 300 young players trying out for a spot on the Governors that day. Nobody made a bigger impression on his coaches than Mercedes, who would become the team’s shortstop and leader for the next four years.

“Instantly, all you had to do was to see the way he attacked on ground balls, and you said, ‘Oh yeah, he is going to be a shortstop and amazing player.’”

Mercedes is still opening eyes. In early June, he was drafted by the Oakland A’s. He went in the 16th round, in the 499th spot. Mercedes is currently in Arizona working out at the A’s training camp. 

“He basically carried us for four years,” said D’Alessandro. “If you have a shortstop that can make all the plays, you can make up for a lot of deficiencies on your team.”

Mercedes grew up first near Yankee Stadium and then Crotona Park. 

He was inspired on the diamond by his cousins who played baseball and his mom Ramona who played softball. 

Though he started his baseball career in New Jersey with the Toms River Little League, he returned to the Cibao league in the Bronx. 

He also credits the Van Cortlandt Baseball League for much of his progress. 

“For 10 years over the summers, me and my friends would go away for tournaments,” he said. “Instead of staying in bed, we learned in the summer leagues.”

Trevor Schaffer, a scout for the Yankees for seven years before coming to the A’s, discovered Mercedes.

Like D’Alessandro, Schaffer was hit out of the blue by Mercedes. He was covering a big college tournament comprised primarily of Florida ballplayers when he spotted Melvin. 

“Normally, we have a background history with college players,” said Schaffer. “Watching his infield, quickness, I called up the scout who covers the Bronx to get some information about him.”

Also like his high school coach, Schaffer was taken aback by Melvin’s defense. 

“I saw plenty of arm, hands worked, feet worked, played pretty good defense,” he said. 

The scout liked that Mercedes is a switch-hitter and “by no means a slap hitter.”

“As he gets stronger, he will probably be a doubles hitter. What stands out is his speed, so he would be at the top of the order, a table setter sort of player.”

Melvin and his “discoverer” have the same impression of this approach to the game. 

“One thing that stands out about Melvin is that he leaves it all out on the field,” said Schaffer. He plays with energy every time I see him.”

Melvin agreed. 

“I play the game aggressive,” he said. “I just contribute to the team. I am not a selfish player, I play for my team. I just play the game with my heart.”

Melvin’s heart, and the hearts of his mentors at Clinton, actually played a big role in boosting his baseball career. 

In his freshman year, Mercedes barely failed a history course in the fall semester, leaving him ineligible for the spring season, despite how much he had impressed his future coach. 

D’Alessandro and his Clinton colleagues were in a restaurant-bar near the school, as were the history teachers. One of the teachers, Megan Dore, whom the coach did not know, approached him and offered to speak to Melvin’s teacher about a tutorial project to make up for his failing grade. 

“He was made to do the extra work before spring term and make up for the failing grade,” said D’Alessandro. Mercedes never failed another class or his Regents Exams. 

The coach and the history teacher are now married and have a son. 

“If it wasn’t for my teacher, I wouldn’t have played my freshman year and probably wouldn’t be here right now,” said Melvin.

“If it wasn’t for me, my teacher and coach may not have met. I’m really glad they are happy together.”