PEORIA, Ariz.-- The San Diego Padres search for an everyday left fielder continues but one thing is clear, Jackson Merrill has set and raised every expectation in center field.
A sensational rookie season that started with a move from his natural shortstop position may have caught many fans and evaluators by surprise, but Fernando Tatís says Merrill’s baseball potential stood out early on the baseball fields at the Peoria Sports complex. “Last year in spring training, I really started paying attention to him, the way he carried himself, the way he played baseball. It’s something you can feel right away.”
“He really proved himself last year. From there, he has no limits. He’s going to be as good as he wants.”
433 ft for The Kid 💪 pic.twitter.com/v8VatHSgsF
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) March 11, 2025
Merril, the runner-up to Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes for the National League Rookie of the Year, slashed an impressive .292/.326/.500 with 24 home runs, 90 RBI and 51 extra-base hits.
Even more remarkably, Merrill came to define the meaning of clutch for the Padres, smashing five game-tying or go-ahead home runs in the ninth inning later.
Padres newcomer Connor Joe was on the other side of one of those clutch moments, now able to marvel at Merrill’s ninth-inning, game-tying, two-run homer against the Pirates on August 7th 2024.
“I’m sure everyone remembered the series he had against the Pirates in Pittsburgh,” Joe said. “Blown away by him. Obviously watching him play, really impressed by how he carries himself on the field. Getting the chance to talk to him and see him kind of behind the scenes, really impressed with him, how he works and goes about his business, true pro. Goes about it the right way, handles all the media and attention the right way. I’m really impressed by Jackson and I’ve really enjoyed getting to know him and work alongside him.”
15-year veteran Jason Heyward, who similarly finished second in National League Rookie of the year in 2010 for the Atlanta Braves, is prepared to impact the Padres and Merrill in any way that he can.
“I’m here to offer a perspective any way I can,” Heyward said. “I’ve been in that position before, I know how valuable it is to have a veteran, have multiple veterans around me to be supportive and as a sounding board to bounce things off of. As a fellow outfielder, left-handed hitter, definitely here to do that for someone like Jackson. Impressive the run he had last year.”
“Obviously this is a result-based industry but as a player, to keep that mentality on, just sticking to your approach and wanting to go off of that, I think it was very impressive how he played last year.”
And the Padres are banking on Merrill in his sophomore season, with manager Mike Shildt indicating early on with his "spring training regular-season lineup" that the team won't shy away from batting Merrill third, in-between Tatís and Manny Machado.
"The numbers speak for themselves," said Shildt. "The guy had a really tremendous year as a rookie. We’ll look at it and weigh it. As always, it’s fluid.”“But he put together numbers that he finished last season hitting fifth for us. He started the season hitting ninth for us. He earned the right to get up in the lineup. And you look at what he did when we put him fifth in the playoffs. At every step, as we know, it was an aggression not a regression.”
Replacing the offensive void of Jurickson Profar in the number three spot is no small feat but Tatís relishes what's ahead for the 21-year old outfielder and the Padres.
"It's going to be really good. I'm just going to sit down front line and enjoy it as you guys are going to do. The sky's the limit with that guy and I'm going to be playing right next to him. It's going to be a really fun time."
