Over the past few weeks, it has become increasingly likely that top prospect Jackson Merrill would break camp with the Padres. While the team has yet to make that official, manager Mike Shildt implied this evening the 20-year-old was trending towards a spot on the Opening Day roster.
“Jackson Merrill is going to Korea,” Shildt told reporters, in reference to San Diego’s season-opening series in Seoul against the Dodgers next week (link via AJ Cassavell of MLB.com). “He’s earned his way on the plane. He’s earned what’s coming after the plane.”
That’s not quite a declaration that the Padres are calling him up. San Diego and Los Angeles are allowed to bring 31 players with them to Seoul, although only 26 will be on the active roster for games. That theoretically leaves open the possibility of Merrill traveling with the team and not being activated for the series. Yet Shildt’s not particularly subtle nod to “what’s coming after” the flight is all but a formal announcement that he will break camp. As Cassavell notes, the Padres would likely have had Merrill continue working in minor league camp this week if they weren’t planning to call him up.
A first-round pick out of a Maryland high school in 2021, Merrill is on track to be San Diego’s Opening Day center fielder. That’s a position he has never played in a minor league game. He made five starts in left field with Double-A San Antonio a year ago. Other than that, his entire professional experience had come on the infield. With San Diego having far more infield depth than outfielders, Merrill spent the offseason working as an outfielder. He has played on the grass in Spring Training and evidently impressed the organization enough defensively.
Merrill has limited experience facing upper level pitching. He has never played in Triple-A and only had 46 games of Double-A experience. Merrill put up a solid .273/.348/.444 line in 211 plate appearances in a pitcher-friendly setting at that level. He has impressed in Spring Training, punctuating a recent hot streak with an opposite-field homer off Zac Gallen this afternoon. Merrill is now up to a .343/.395/.600 slash with three walks and strikeouts apiece in exhibition play.
The Padres entered camp with only three outfielders on the 40-man roster: Fernando Tatis Jr., José Azocar and Jurickson Profar. San Diego would need to select Merrill’s contract but can do so without a corresponding move, as they only have 37 players on the 40-man roster.
The first of the wave of Jackson prospects to make The Show!
The number of Jackson’s will continue to rise. Southern white women everywhere have made sure of that.
Although, you might get some Jaxons, Jaxsons, Jacksuns, Jaxsuhns, or Jacksuhns. They are all the same thing.
Brought to you by Sons of Anarchy.
Don’t dismiss Jackson Frazier!
Actually it’s Frackson Jazier now.
Good for Jackson, he’s earned the opportunity…
I know this subject has been addressed in other posts, but is the consensus that this is crazy? How can having an elite prospect playing a brand new position when he also hasn’t established himself as an MLB hitter be a good idea?
Will let you know at the end of the year
Same, feels like I’m taking crazy pills reading this. Hope he works out but man that’s an aggressive promotion
Padres have almost completed their team of all shortstops.
Not to mention 46 games in AA. This is just dumb – sets the kid up to fail.
It’s AJ Preller. The Padres have brought up loads of prospects before they were ready. 46 games of AA ball and now they want to put him in CF in the big leagues? Give me a break.
Evan Carter basically did it last year. I don’t think the position change is that big of a deal.
99-Dude hit .350 in the spring, and has looked like a natural in the OF so far. Maybe try paying attention rather than throwing uninformed opinions out there. Dude’s earned it.
The kid raked this spring while being put against big league vets, and took Gallen deep yesterday. His bat to ball skills are top notch, and he looks like a 15-20 hr bat. Could definitely see him going .270/15 in his rookie season.
99SoCal, please tell me the “loads” of prospects he has brought up, specifically those that are this highly touted. He has brought up some prospects, but none like this, other than maybe Tatis, and that worked out fine.
CJ Abrams, he of the 240/280/300 slash line when he was a year older than Merrill, had a half-season more minor league experience, and wasnt being asked to start at a position he never played.
Great, there is 1. Who else that was highly touted? I want to see the “loads” of prospects he has called up.
I’m not here to corroborate someone else’s statement, I’ve just been worried we’re going to see a worse outcome than CJ Abrams 2022, because Merrill is a year younger, has a half-season less professional experience, and is being asked to do far more. If Merrill replicates the Grisham years with the bat and plays league-average CF all year this year, that’s a small miracle.
but also Rizzo, Ty France, Luis Urias, Andres Munoz, and Dinelson Lamet. Not all as highly touted and a couple were a little older. But I’m worried there is a pattern of pushing them too early then giving up on them too early then trading them or impeding their development and leaving us with either nothing or a revolving door of mercenary superstars playing with one foot out the door.
At some point prospects graduate to MLB, it happens. Just because it took Ozzie Smith 5 years to learn how to hit doesn’t mean he was rushed. Was Kim rushed?
Everything Merrill has done so far indicates he’s earned the call. so he gets a shot. He looks very solid if not fantastic in CF. He sure doesn’t look like he needs more time in the minors. And while he will no doubt struggle at times his approach to hitting is far more advanced than was CJ’s. I would say the same of Pauley is as well. I say let the kids play now, maybe they will surprise, and by 2025 we will perhaps see beasts.
He called up Ryan Weathers and put him in the rotation after one season in the minors at 20 years old.
Lucchesi rose through the ranks very quickly.
Chris Paddack barely had any time in the minors.
Andres Munoz was only 20 when he debuted.
Adrián Morejón was only 20.
Luis Patino was only 20.
CJ Abrams was already discussed.
Some of those guys could have used more time in the minors for sure. But Lucchesi was a 25 yr old rookie. And wasn’t Paddack a ROY finalist?
The discussion was prospects that Preller has brought up quickly like this. Yes, Lucchesi was older but he moved through the ranks quickly.
Lucchesi played college, then had 3.5 years in the minors
LMAO he had one full season in the minors. The year he was drafted he played a partial (2016). He played all of 2017. He started two games in 2018 and was called up. Either make more intelligent comments or I’m muting you.
@Brew, it’s the plan theyre going with and at this point it’s the best of several possible scenarios. I just don’t think it’s the right move to put these kids in positions where they HAVE to succeed this early.
Better watch out man or this random poster is gonna mute you
Correction. 5 seasons and 290 innings in the minors. 200 innings in college.
I don’t disagree Los leebos
LOL So now you’re talking about his time with the Mets after he was traded and recovering from TJ. Muted
Los Leebos – CJ Abrams had appeared in 76 minor league games (348 PA) before debuting with the Padres opening day 2022.
Jackson Merrill had the benefit of being healthier and not missing minor league time due to the Pandamic and has 200 games and 881 PA’s of minor league action.
Not sure where you are getting Abrams had a half season more of minor league experience… Merrill has 2.5x more minor league PA’s.
good catch, pap, i had made a similar argument in a friend group chat and i see it actually was “CJ had 4 times the ABs above A-Ball that Merrill currently has” which i just reconfirmed! Not sure how that became “half a season more minor league experience” woops. Keep me honest!
Wouldn’t be the first time. I can think of many top prospects over the years change position to fill a need to make the ball club without having much or no playing time at the MLB level
Or, is there any precedent for something like this working out?
Ever heard of Dave Winfield?
Austin Riley was always an infielder but played left as a rookie because of Josh Donaldson. Admittedly, he didn’t really establish himself until he moved back to third though.
Tons. Dude won the job. His bat to ball skills are strong, and he’s shown solid pop this spring.
You use ‘dude’ waaaay too much. Synonyms are your friends.
Craig Biggio?
Tatis, Evan Carter, Jeter, Caminiti…There are many..
Pete Rose
which new position did Jeter learn in his rookie year that he never played in the minors? And how is Evan Carter’s transition to SS going this Spring?
Braun, Miggy, Pujols, Billy Hamilton, Riley, Machado, etc…
Fleet SSs with cannon arms and superior baseball instincts usually can handle the OF positions with ease.
He’s going to be Nicky Lopez with a little more power. But, if he’s a solid CF’er then that’s okay.
He’s not like lopez, merrill has at least average raw power if not plus, he put up good exit velos in minors and improved his GB rate as he worked up the ladder (improved as in it decreased).
He has better power but less plate discipline. He still has great plate discipline, but not as good as Lopez. OPS will look the same.
He’s not a potential .300 hitter. So if he’s hitting .270 his obp is below average.
Could he improve? Of course. But right now that’s what he is.
On Fangraphs recent top of 100 they put a 70 grade on his future hit toll… which I only saw them get that high with 1 other prospect. Most of the best prospects like Holliday (65) and others ranked lower in that regard.
The Michael Brantley comps seem like a reasonable outcome, though some think he has 20-25 hr power which would be a better outcome than that.
Which makes him nothing like Lopez
I see a fangraphs putting a 55/70 grade on that, which is right. His power is ranked higher, which is right. They seem to suggest similar to what I suggest.
It does make him like Lopez. As soon as he meets mlb pitching his average will go down along with the rest of his stats. He makes up for the slight lack in selectivity with his power and lopez has the opposite.
They are solid baserunners with good speed. They both have defensive chops. That’s why I think he can be more serviceable than Lopez as a CF’er.
Heck, if Nicky Lopez could play center, he’d be a target for almost every team.
Wait someone just compared him to Nicky Lopez????????? screenshot this and let’s see how this works out in 3 years
Do it, please. But, I’m sure those screenshots will magically disappear/be forgotten when he fails to produce what you all think he will.
No one will care enough about Jackson Merrill or Nicky Lopez in three years
I’ll never understand pessimism
Best post Card!
If Chipotle had added “THIS YEAR* to the end of that first sentence, I’m in. Long-term, this is a truly laughable comparison.
Go get ‘em kid!!!!! That’s how you do it!!
Merrill playing a half a season at AAA makes more sense in the long term imo. That’s a free half a year the team gets and he will become a free agent a year later. And he has no experience at AAA. And isn’t he playing a new position? Cardinals tried this with Walker last year and it went poorly.
The situation with walker was quite different, merrill is a much better athlete
It’s an extremely similar situation. Both guys super young and both guys had never played in AAA. Walker is very athletic he’s just not a good defensive outfielder.
Actually it is a very different situation. Merrill plays solid defense at the second toughest position to play. Walker’s defense at third always graded out as poor
Omg. One person says it’s the same. The other says it’s not the same at all.
I’m assuming it’s somewhere in between. Idk how two opinions can be so opposite. Someone here is completely off base
Tatis never played AAA. Earned a platinum glove his first year in the outfield from SS. If you had a chance to watch Merrill play this spring you would likely say he’s ready.
I certainly haven’t watched him play but it’s Spring not the big leagues. Again VRdinals did this with Walker who had a great spring last year too and it didn’t work.
walker was a 50 grade defensive 3b prospect, merrill is a 55 grade defensive ss. similar grades but merril in a tougher position and is big for a ss. I think his transition defensively is going to be much easier than walkers. I have watched him play spring, and he looks like an outfielder.
Hey it won’t go worse than Walker’s transition has gone it almost can’t. But I would go sign a center fielder and get a free half a year of games out of him.
Jimbo – I did and he is ready in relation to the need that the Padres have for him. I’m all for his OD CF but wouldn’t mind him getting a month or so of extra confidence at AAA hitters league first.
It is what it is so let’s see what you got JM! Welcome to show now make all Pads fans happy.
I miss Shildt talk. I hope the Padres win 100 games. I also hope Shildt takes some unveiled shots at Mo throughout the season.
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Some of you cardinals fans are really good guys. <3
Profar, Merrill, Tatis. Machado, Boegaerts, Kim….. a whole lineup of shortstops!
You forgot Cronenworth…
Alan Wiggins was an outstanding centerfielder and they moved him to 2nd base…
This is not unheard of…Robin Yount proved back in the 80s…you can take a decent fielding SS and make him a solid Cf’er…because those two are usually the most athletic positions.
Merrill may have some growing pains as he fully learns the position at all the various major league parks…but he’s def no hack in the OF. Hell…his buddy in RF next to him made the transition last year and became a platinum glove winner on his first season there.
It doesn’t seem a coincidence that Preller and his crew seem to mainly draft SS’s and Cf’ers, no?
Congrats youngling!… the force is strong in this one. Lol… Should be fun and probably crazy but WTH.
Earned his way. Makes it sound like they had him bussing tables in the clubhouse
Well, it can’t be any worse than Myers in CF. Give him and Pauley everyday starts and evaluate them at the end of April. They’ve proved themselves as the best internal options at this juncture.
Merrill looks like he’s got the tools to be a .280 guy with 15-20 hr pop. He deserves his shot.
Merrill has great bat to ball skills. Just look at fangraphs rating for his hit tool. It’s one of the highest they ever give. He has also been working on better pitch selection to help him elevate the ball more. He has such a good hit tool he can put pitcher pitches into play which increased his grounder rate. As he becomes more select his damage is going up.
He has look good in center so far though I’m sure there will be some growing pains over the season.
The padres desperately needed a lefty bat that was cheap to play center field. If Merrill can succeed out there this will be a huge win for the padres. If they decide to add to the mix it’s a lot easier to find a good/decent left fielder than center fielder.
The other rookie who will likely make the team is Pauley. Fangraphs is high on his bat as well. Lefty hitter that can play 3b/2b/1b. He will likely fill in for Machado to start the season. Between Merrill, Pauley, cronenworth and Profar the padres have found some lefties to help balance the lineup.
Go get ‘um, Jackson Barrel! Welcome to The Show, kid.
Even though I’m not a Padres fan Jackson Merrill is one of my favorite prospects and a guy I’m hoping to see succeed in the majors this year. Tyler Black, Jackson, Junior Caminero, Hurston Waldrep, and Nick Frasso are some of the ready or close to mlb ready prospects I’m hoping to see succeed in the Majors this year. I’m excited for you guys. He has all the tools to succeed and I’m hoping to see him stick.
I had no idea this guy played so little minor league games the way he’s being talked about. I guess some guys are just ready for the show.
Cool, I love seeing hyped up prospects get there shot!