From foster care to the World Series: Pearland 9-year-old shines on the diamond

PEARLAND, Texas — On a Pearland softball field, 9-year-old Mersadys Merchant is proving that determination and a big swing can turn dreams into reality.

“She just said, ‘I want to hit softballs,’” her parents, Jay and Krista Merchant, recalled. “One of the coaches saw her swing and said, ‘That’s a ballplayer.’”

Mersadys quickly made a name for herself, earning All-Star honors in her first two seasons.

This past season, she won her age division at Major League Baseball’s Pitch, Hit, and Run competition at Daikin Park, representing the Astros team championship.

“I was super surprised because there were a lot of good people there,” Mersadys said. “I didn’t know if I was going to make it or not.”

That win earned her a once-in-a-lifetime invitation: a trip to Game 2 of the World Series in Toronto, where she competed in the Pitch, Hit, and Run national finals the next day.

“Just proud is really hard to describe when it, when it talks about just being her parents in general, but she just keeps doing great things, overcoming all the odds,” Jay said.

Those odds started early. Before she ever picked up a bat, Mersadys was in the foster care system.

“She was in the foster care system, and it was a long ordeal,” Krista said. “We got caught in COVID, courts were shut down, and we finally got to adopt her when she was almost 4. She had a rough start to life.”

Now, on the same field where her Major League heroes played, Mersadys finished third in her age group nationally, showing off everything she’s worked for.

Whether it’s how far she hits, how fast she runs, or how wide she smiles, Mersadys has already won by being surrounded by teammates, parents and a community cheering her on.

“It makes you happy that there’s a little girl who’s got an opportunity now,” Jay said.

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