The San Diego Padres might have stumbled upon their subsequent homegrown star after asking prime prospect Jackson Merrill to make a place change two springs in the past. His spectacular 2024 breakout marketing campaign resulted in him receiving a 9-year, $135 million contract extension from the franchise.
Merrill shined in 2024
In February 2024, Merrill arrived at Peoria for his first style of a significant league baseball camp. Instantly, Padres supervisor Mike Shildt requested him to maneuver to the outfield. Merrill was primarily a shortstop within the minors, so that you anticipated him to get roughed up with the place change.
As an alternative, he had a breakout rookie season with a .292 batting common, 24 HRs, and 90 RBIs. However the numbers don’t inform the story, as Merrill completed runner-up to Nationwide League Rookie-of-the-12 months winner Pittsburgh Pirates Paul Skenes, ended up ninth in league MVP voting, was named to his first All-Star crew, and earned a Silver Slugger Award.
The Friar Devoted wouldn’t have been disillusioned if Merrill confirmed some rising pains whereas studying a brand new place. The entrance workplace hoped for a rookie who would emit flashes of his potential. As an alternative, Merrill exhibited the dedication to study the defensive side of being an outfielder. It earned him the middle discipline beginning job, as he turned an above-average fielder. Merrill had a .993 fielding proportion and began 4 double performs from the middle discipline place.
The contract extension affords affordability and controllability
The Padres gained a definite monetary benefit with Merrill’s contract extension. They’ve purchased out the remaining 5 years of service at a discount value. Given how baseball house owners have handed out big-money contracts of late, having a younger, proficient participant beneath contract for the prime of his profession is the fitting transfer for the franchise.
It removes the specter of having to undergo the wage arbitration course of. Each the house owners and gamers have expressed frustration with the method as a result of negotiations can develop into contentious. Franchises really feel it’s counterproductive to argue towards a participant’s worth to the crew. Signing a younger star to a contract extension saves cash and removes the uncertainty of a pending arbitration ruling.
The Seidler household prioritized Merrill’s contract extension as this younger man has a pivotal function within the crew’s success. Everybody was on the identical web page to make sure he remained in San Diego long-term.
2025 is one other season for Merrill to indicate his upside
Merrill just isn’t resting on his laurels from final season. He’s utilizing his numbers as a measuring stick for 2025. The All-Star has the hitting instruments to place all of it collectively and have one other stable marketing campaign. It’s a small sampling, however he’s batting .434 with 2 HRs and eight RBIs for the undefeated Padres.
On the plate, Merrill has develop into a assured, extra polished middle-of-the-order hitter. He has a stable exit velocity that generates extra-base hits. Nonetheless, Merrill needs to work on recognizing pitches higher in at-bats. Being selective might power pitchers to fall behind in counts. The purpose is draw walks, which makes him a much more harmful hitter this season with Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr., Jake Cronenworth, and Xander Bogaerts all within the fold.
And let’s not overlook that Ethan Salas and Leodalis De Vries are important to the crew’s future. Merrill has carved himself a job in baseball’s top-hitting lineup. Collectively, they supply the kind of offensive manufacturing that ought to excite the Friar Devoted for the following decade.
