Yermin Mercedes all the spring training rage, but making Opening Day roster is long shot

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Yermin Mercedes is that guy in spring training who’s hitting bombs, turning heads, entertaining fans and stating his case for making the team.

But making the team, even as the 26th man, is far from a lock for the 27-year-old catcher, who has four homers and a 1.409 OPS in 22 plate appearances. In fact, barring an injury, it’s unlikely.

The Sox have two All-Star catchers, Yasmani Grandal and James McCann. They spent $12 million on a designated hitter, Edwin Encarnacion, in the offseason, but to carry the 5-11, 235-pound Mercedes as a pinch hitter on an American League roster might be a stretch. He is far from polished defensively and has no major-league experience.

Manager Rick Renteria hasn’t specified what he’s looking for from the 26th man, but it’s known that he prefers a versatile player, preferably with speed, who can pinch run or upgrade his defense late in a game. Keeping the right-handed Mercedes as a pinch hitter to fill an occasional need — he’s not going to bat for Yoan Moncada, Tim Anderson, Jose Abreu, Eloy Jimenez, Encarnacion, Grandal or Luis Robert — seems to be a luxury better suited for a 28th or 29th man.

Mercedes, who hit his fourth home run Monday (a game-tying shot with two outs in the ninth) against the Reds, eventually might force his way on a roster with his hitting ability. He’s a career .302/.386/.647 hitter with a 15 percent strikeout rate in the minor leagues. At Class AAA Charlotte last season, Mercedes belted 17 homers in 187 at-bats.

He is sharing his excitement over his big spring on social media.

“Yes, because I want to be in Chicago,” he said. “I’m working hard for that. Every time I post on Twitter or Instagram I say, ‘I see you in Chicago, I’ll see you soon’ because I want to be there with my teammates.”

And if it’s not in the cards?

“If I don’t make it, just go to Triple A, keep working hard, do my job,” he said. “Wait for the decision. If they make the decision ‘go to Chicago’ I will keep doing my job, working hard.”

Assuming Nick Madrigal does not make the Opening Day roster and Danny Mendick does as the utility infielder, possibilities for the 26th roster spot include infielders Cheslor Cuthbert and Andrew Romine and outfielder Nicky Delmonico. Romine, 34, played all nine positions in a game last season for the Tigers. Cuthbert, who has played a lot of third base this spring, also has played first and second base in his career. Delmonico is not a plus defender, but he has experience in left field and first base and has been given a sizable opportunity — 13 games — to show what he can do now that he’s healthy following season-ending shoulder surgery last May.

“If it happens, that’s awesome,” said the left-handed hitting Delmonico, who played 21 games for the Sox last season before having surgery and getting released from Charlotte in June. “I put in the hard work. I feel healthy. I feel like I can contribute. But I can’t control any of that.”

The Sox figure to keep 13 pitchers and 13 position players. Barring an injury, the bench figures to be comprised of catcher McCann, outfielder Adam Engel, Mendick and the 26th man.

The possibility of a trade to fill the last roster spot as Opening Day approaches in two weeks from Thursday also exists.