Orlando Merced

{{short description|Puerto Rican baseball player (born 1966)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}} {{Infobox baseball biography |name=Orlando Merced |position=Right fielder / First baseman |bats=Switch |throws=Right |birth_date={{Birth date and age|1966|11|2}} |birth_place=Hato Rey, Puerto Rico |debutleague = MLB |debutdate=June 27 |debutyear=1990 |debutteam=Pittsburgh Pirates |debut2league = NPB |debut2date=June 3 |debut2year=2000 |debut2team=Orix BlueWave |final2league = MLB |final2date=October 1 |final2year=2003 |final2team=Houston Astros |finalleague = NPB |finaldate=July 30 |finalyear=2000 |finalteam=Orix BlueWave |statleague = MLB |stat1label=Batting average |stat1value=.277 |stat2label=Home runs |stat2value=103 |stat3label=Runs batted in |stat3value=585 |stat2league = NPB |stat21label=Batting average |stat21value=.225 |stat22label=Home runs |stat22value=2 |stat23label=Runs batted in |stat23value=15 |teams= *Pittsburgh Pirates ({{mlby|1990}}–{{mlby|1996}}) *Toronto Blue Jays ({{mlby|1997}}) *Minnesota Twins ({{mlby|1998}}) *Boston Red Sox ({{mlby|1998}}) *Chicago Cubs ({{mlby|1998}}) *Montreal Expos ({{mlby|1999}}) *Orix BlueWave ({{npby|2000}}) *Houston Astros ({{mlby|2001}}–{{mlby|2003}}) }} '''Orlando Luis Merced Villanueva''' (born November 2, 1966) is a Puerto Rican former Major League Baseball first baseman and outfielder. He played all or parts of 13 seasons in the majors for the Pittsburgh Pirates (1990–1996), Toronto Blue Jays (1997), Minnesota Twins (1998), Boston Red Sox (1998), Chicago Cubs (1998), Montreal Expos (1999), and Houston Astros (2001–2003). He also played one season for the Orix BlueWave (2000) in Japan.

==Career== Merced was signed as an amateur free agent out of high school at the age of 17 by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1985. Six years later, he made his major league debut. He played for the Pirates for another six years, where he helped the Pirates win the National League East Division in three consecutive seasons, from 1990 through 1992. He was part of the Astros' 2001 NL Central Division champions.{{cn|date=July 2020}}

He finished second in voting for 1991 National League Rookie of the Year, behind Jeff Bagwell.{{cn|date=July 2020}}

In thirteen seasons, he played in 1,391 games.{{cn|date=July 2020}}

==External links== {{Baseballstats |mlb= |espn= |br=m/merceor01 |fangraphs=1393 |brm=merced001orl}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Merced, Orlando}} Category:1966 births Category:Living people Category:Augusta Pirates players Category:Boston Red Sox players Category:Bravos de León managers Category:Buffalo Bisons (minor league) players Category:Chicago Cubs players Category:Gigantes de Carolina (baseball) players Category:Gulf Coast Pirates players Category:Harrisburg Senators players Category:Houston Astros players Category:Indios de Mayagüez players Category:Macon Pirates players Category:Major League Baseball first basemen Category:Major League Baseball left fielders Category:Major League Baseball players from Puerto Rico Category:Major League Baseball right fielders Category:Minnesota Twins players Category:Montreal Expos players Category:New Orleans Zephyrs players Category:Nippon Professional Baseball first basemen Category:Orix BlueWave players Category:Pittsburgh Pirates players Category:Puerto Rican expatriate baseball people in Mexico Category:Puerto Rican expatriate baseball players in Japan Category:Puerto Rican expatriate baseball players in Canada Category:Salem Buccaneers players Category:Toronto Blue Jays players Category:Watertown Pirates players Category:Sportspeople from Río Piedras, Puerto Rico Category:Baseball players from San Juan, Puerto Rico