Well, it looks like the San Diego Padres' plan to try and “replace” Juan Soto is in full effect. Now I put the word “replace” in quotations as I don’t think you can fully replace a Juan Soto. That being said I do think you can strategically plan on how to fill the void and build for the organization's future and that is exactly what the Padres seem to be doing. Time and time again the Padres have managed to nail their 1st Round Draft pick. Since 2012 the Padres have drafted players like Max Fried, Hunter Renfroe, Trea Turner, Cal Quantrill, MacKenzie Gore, Ryan Weathers, and CJ Abrams who have not only made it to the major leagues but all have had moments of excellence.
On Tuesday, March 12th, Padres manager Mike Shildt was referring to their young star prospect, Jackson Merrill, when he said “he’s earned his way on the plane” and “He’s earned what’s coming after the plane”. Is anyone else out there reading in between the lines here? Not only has it been announced that Jackson Merrill will be joining the Padres on their trip to South Korea to open the season but it looks like he might be staying up in the bigs…at least for now. Is this the answer to filling in for Juan Soto? The Padres seem to think so.
This is insane and under-the-radar baseball news as it seems people in the industry have been enthralled with young star players like Wyatt Langford, Jackson Chourio, and Jackson Holliday all off-season. Merrill is only 20 years old and the Padres look like they may have an everyday starting outfielder going forward. Merrill to date has only played 46 games of AA baseball. The sheer fact that he will not be able to drink a beer legally until April 19th of this year and he is going to most likely land a starting job on the opening day roster for the Padres is laughable to think about. Honestly, kudos to you Mr. Merrill, you have earned this role from your on-the-field play and hard work.
This Spring Training Merrill has slashed .343 / .395 / .995 across 35 ABs. Not to mention he hit 2x HRs, stole a base, and hit 6x RBIs while crossing home plate 7x himself. I know Spring Training is not the way to evaluate a player, but for Merrill to play this well and against professional competition as a 20-year-old is never a bad thing in my opinion.
Merrill is from the Baltimore, Maryland area and was drafted 27th overall back in the 2021 Major League Baseball draft by the Padres. He ended up signing for a $1.8M signing bonus! Listed at 6-3, 195lb he is a big frame and can probably even add some more muscle as he matures into an adult. Let us not kid ourselves, this dude was able to put on 30 lbs of muscle as a senior in high school without the oversight of a professional program, trainers, and schedule. I cannot wait to see what he looks like when he is 25 years old.
After diving into his highlights, stats, and his baseball-savant page I am getting on board the Jackson Merrill hype train myself! He is a really good baseball player and I think he will be productive in the bigs. Tune in Wednesday, March 20th to see Merrill and the Padres face off against the Dodgers in Seoul, South Korea. It is going to be an electric atmosphere!
Minor League Career:
881 PA | 800 AB | 133 R | 236 H | 21 HR | 65 BB | .295 BA | .347 OBP | .455 OPS