American baseball player (born 2003)
Baseball player
Jackson Peter Merrill (born April 19, 2003) is an American professionalbaseball center fielder for theSan Diego Padres ofMajor League Baseball (MLB). He was selected in the first round of the2021 MLB draft by the Padres and made his MLB debut in 2024. He was selected for the2024 MLB All-Star Game .
Early life and amateur career [ edit ] Jackson Merrill was born inBaltimore , Maryland, to Josh and Jennie Merrill. Merrill grew up inSeverna Park, Maryland , and attendedSeverna Park High School .[ 1] Boston Red Sox ofMajor League Baseball (MLB).[ 2]
Merrill's junior season at Severna Park was canceled due toCOVID-19 , after which he focused on physical training and gained over 30 pounds (14 kg) of muscle. He initially committed to play college baseball for theArmy Black Knights during his junior year, but later changed his commitment to theKentucky Wildcats in his senior year.[ 3] batted .500 with 13home runs and 39runs batted in (RBIs) and was named the Maryland Player of the Year by theCapital Gazette [ 4] Brooks Robinson All Star Game.
Professional career [ edit ] TheSan Diego Padres selected Merrill in the first round, with the 27th overall pick, in the2021 Major League Baseball draft .[ 5] signing bonus .[ 6] [ 7]
Merrill was assigned to therookie-level Arizona Complex League Padres to start his professional career.[ 8] at-bats , Merrillslashed .280/.339/.383 with sevendoubles , twotriples , 10 RBIs, 10walks , and 27strikeouts .[ 9]
Merrill opened the 2022 season with theLake Elsinore Storm of theSingle-A California League .[ 10] stolen bases .[ 11]
Merrill split the 2023 season between the High–AFort Wayne TinCaps and Double–ASan Antonio Missions , playing in 114 total games and batting .277/.326/.444 with 15 home runs, 64 RBI, and 15 stolen bases.[ 12]
On March 19, 2024, the Padres selected Merrill's contract and added him to theirOpening Day roster.[ 13] Los Angeles Dodgers in theSeoul Series .[ 14] 2024 MLB All-Star Game , becoming the first rookie in Padres history to ever make theAll-Star Game .[ 15]
InGame 2 of the National League Division Series against theLos Angeles Dodgers , Merrill hit a two-run home run in the top of the eighth to extend the Padres' lead to 6–1, which marked his first postseason home run in his career.[ 16]
On April 2, 2025, the Padres signed Merrill to a 9-year contract extension worth $135m guaranteed.[ 17]
^ Peters, James (July 10, 2021)."Severna Park standout Jackson Merrill earns Capital Gazette baseball Player of Year nod" .Capital Gazette . RetrievedJuly 11, 2021 . ^ "Merrill's 3-run homer, Higashioka's 2-run shot lead Padres to 9-2 win over Red Sox" .AP News . June 29, 2024. RetrievedJune 30, 2024 .^ Sanders, Jeff (July 11, 2021)."Padres' focus remains on preps as team lands shortstop with 27th overall pick" .The San Diego Union-Tribune . RetrievedJuly 12, 2021 . ^ Cassavell, AJ (July 12, 2021)."Never too many: Padres draft shortstop" .MLB.com . RetrievedJuly 12, 2021 . ^ "Padres' Jackson Merrill: Lands with Friars" .CBSSports.com . July 11, 2021. RetrievedJuly 11, 2021 .^ Wagner, Bill (July 19, 2021)."Former Severna Park shortstop Jackson Merrill signs with San Diego Padres for $1.8 million after being taken with No. 27 pick in MLB draft" .capitalgazette.com . RetrievedJuly 20, 2021 . ^ Cassevell, AJ (July 19, 2021)."Padres agree with top pick Merrill" .MLB.com . RetrievedJuly 20, 2021 . ^ Sanders, Jeff (July 27, 2021)."Minors: Gore tumbles in Baseball America top-100; Merrill makes pro debut" .The San Diego Union-Tribune . RetrievedJuly 28, 2021 . ^ Dubroff, Rich (October 8, 2021)."Answers to your Orioles questions, Part 2" .BaltimoreBaseball.com . RetrievedMay 30, 2025 . ^ Glaser, Kyle (April 9, 2022)."James Wood, Jackson Merrill Star In California League Opener" .Baseball America . RetrievedNovember 8, 2025 . ^ "2022 Lake Elsinore Storm Statistics" .Baseball-Reference.com . RetrievedNovember 16, 2025 .^ Anderson, R.J. (March 19, 2024)."Jackson Merrill makes Padres' Opening Day roster: No. 12 prospect set for MLB debut as outfielder" .CBSSports.com . RetrievedMarch 2, 2025 . ^ Acee, Kevin (March 19, 2024)."Jackson Merrill, Graham Pauley, Jeremiah Estrada, Stephen Kolek make Padres' roster in Seoul" .San Diego Union-Tribune . RetrievedFebruary 16, 2025 . ^ Ton-Hyung, Kim (March 20, 2024)."20-year-old outfielder Jackson Merrill makes debut for Padres in opener vs. Dodgers" .AP News . RetrievedMarch 21, 2024 . ^ Nightengale, Bob (July 7, 2024)."MLB All-Star Game rosters: AL, NL reserves, pitchers revealed" .USA TODAY . RetrievedOctober 17, 2024 .^ Cassavell, AJ (October 7, 2024)."Jackson Merrill's incredible 2024 continuing in postseason" .MLB.com . RetrievedFebruary 16, 2025 . ^ McDonald, Darragh (April 20, 2023)."Padres Sign Jackson Merrill To Nine-Year Extension" .MLB Trade Rumors . RetrievedMay 29, 2025 .
1969 :Elliott 1970 :Ivie 1971 :Franklin 1972 :Roberts 1973 :Winfield 1974 :Almon 1975 :Lentz 1976 :Owchinko 1977 :Greer 1978 :Hawkins 1979 :Lansford ,Geren 1980 :Pyburn 1981 :McReynolds ,Castro 1982 :Jones 1983 :Hayward 1984 :Mack ,Green 1985 :Cora 1986 :Howard 1987 :Garner 1988 :Benes 1989:None 1990 :Beckett ,Sanders 1991 :Hamilton ,Anthony 1992:None 1993 :Lee 1994 :Hermanson 1995 :Davis 1996 :Halloran 1997 :Nicholson 1998 :Burroughs 1999 :Faison, Baxter, Ortiz, Burns, Bynum ,Trzesniak 2000 :Phillips 2001 :Gautreau 2002 :Greene 2003 :Stauffer 2004 :Bush 2005 :Carrillo ,Ramos 2006 :Antonelli ,Burke 2007 :Schmidt, Kulbacki ,Cumberland, Canham ,Luebke ,Payne 2008 :Dykstra ,Decker ,Forsythe 2009 :Tate 2010 :Whitson 2011 :Spangenberg ,Ross ,Kelly ,Austin, Peterson 2012 :Fried ,Eflin ,Jankowski ,Weickel 2013 :Renfroe 2014 :Turner 2015 :None 2016 :Quantrill ,Sanchez ,Lauer 2017 :Gore 2018 :Weathers 2019 :Abrams 2020 :Hassell 2021 :Merrill 2022 :Lesko 2023 :Head 2024 :Mayfield 2025 :Schoolcraft
1980:Baker ,Dawson ,Hendrick 1981:Baker ,Dawson ,Foster 1982:Durham ,Guerrero ,Murphy 1983:Cruz ,Dawson ,Murphy 1984:Cruz ,Gwynn ,Murphy 1985:McGee ,Murphy ,Parker 1986:Gwynn ,Parker ,Raines 1987:Davis ,Dawson ,Gwynn 1988:Gibson ,Van Slyke ,Strawberry 1989:Davis ,Gwynn ,Mitchell 1990:Bonds ,Bonilla ,Strawberry 1991:Bonds ,Bonilla ,Gant 1992:Bonds ,Van Slyke ,Walker 1993:Bonds ,Dykstra ,Justice 1994:Alou ,Bonds ,Gwynn 1995:Bichette ,Gwynn ,Sosa 1996:Bonds ,Burks ,Sheffield 1997:Bonds ,Gwynn ,Walker 1998:Alou ,Sosa ,Vaughn 1999:Guerrero ,Sosa ,Walker 2000:Bonds ,Guerrero ,Sosa 2001:Bonds ,L. Gonzalez ,Sosa 2002:Bonds ,Guerrero ,Sosa 2003:Bonds ,Pujols ,Sheffield 2004:Abreu ,Bonds ,Edmonds 2005:Cabrera ,Jones ,Lee 2006:Beltrán ,Holliday ,Soriano 2007:Beltrán ,Holliday ,Lee 2008:Braun ,Holliday ,Ludwick 2009:Braun ,Ethier ,Kemp 2010:Braun ,C. González ,Holliday 2011:Braun ,Kemp ,Upton 2012:Braun ,Bruce ,McCutchen 2013:Bruce ,Cuddyer ,McCutchen 2014:McCutchen ,Stanton ,Upton 2015:C. González ,Harper ,McCutchen 2016:Blackmon ,Céspedes ,Yelich 2017:Blackmon ,Ozuna ,Stanton 2018:Markakis ,Peralta ,Yelich 2019:Acuña Jr. ,Bellinger ,Yelich 2020:Acuña Jr. ,Betts ,Soto 2021:Castellanos ,Harper ,Soto 2022:Betts ,Schwarber ,Soto 2023:Acuña Jr. ,Betts ,Soto 2024:Hernández ,Merrill ,Profar 2025:Carroll ,Soto ,Tucker
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