Jackson Merrill

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked San Diego Padres #2 prospect in 2024
  BA Grade: 60/High
  
  Track Record: The flu and a subsequent stomach bug slowed Merrill to start the 2023 season at High-A Fort Wayne, then a hamstring strain hobbled him late in his time at Double-A San Antonio. The latter injury kept him from the field in the Texas League playoffs. In between, Merrill continued to return surplus value as a below-slot signee as the 27th overall pick in the 2021 draft. He finished the first half strong at Fort Wayne heading into his Futures Game appearance, helping him earn a move to Double-A afterward. The front office even kicked around the idea of bringing Merrill to San Diego as a multi-positional piece for their late-season postseason push before opting to leave him in San Antonio to develop alongside the next talent wave.
  
  Scouting Report: A growth spurt added nearly 30 pounds to Merrill’s frame in the months leading up to the 2021 draft, boosting the raw power that was one of his calling cards. He’s since developed advanced offspeed coverage for his age and an impressive left-on-left approach, reasons that many in the organization believe a smooth swing will eventually produce 30 homers annually in the majors. Merrill has also improved his range, agility and arm strength at shortstop since turning pro. Though he’s an average runner, his first-step efficiency contributes to his overall profile as a smooth defender. More than that, internal evaluators rave about culture-changing makeup that will be an asset in a big league clubhouse.
  
  The Future: Merrill continues to show he can stick at shortstop, though his ultimate landing spot likely depends on the big league roster. That decision may come as soon as 2024, because he is poised to make his MLB debut as a 21-year-old. Merrill’s athleticism will be an asset wherever he plays, and his bat will ultimately help him profile as a middle-of-the-order threat.
  
  Scouting Grades Hit: 60 | Power: 55 | Run: 50 | Field: 55 | Arm: 55
• 
  Ranked San Diego Padres #1 prospect in 2023
  BA Grade/Risk: 60/High
  
  Track Record: Merrill didn't attend many of the top high school showcase events during the summer of 2020 and was subsequently viewed as a popup prospect when he began to emerge in 2021 in the Baltimore-Washington metro area. The Padres were on Merrill well before he tied the Severna Park High record with 13 homers and were happy to select him 27th overall. He signed for a below-slot $1.8 million to forgo a Kentucky commitment and held his own during his pro debut in the Arizona Complex League until a minor hip flexor injury ended his season. In 2022 he was limited to 55 games in his full-season debut because of a fractured left wrist and a hamstring injury. Even in that limited time, Merrill stood out. He hit .339/.385/.511 in the regular season and went 11-for-17 with four doubles and three steals in four postseason games to help Low-A Lake Elsinore win the California League title. The Padres sent Merrill to the Arizona Fall League after the season, where he held his own.
  
  Scouting Report: Merrill had a huge growth spurt and added nearly 30 pounds leading up to the draft. The added strength gave him plus raw power, which continues to be the main selling point even as he learns to leverage it in games. Merrill's solid bat speed and feel for hitting intrigued the Padres over multiple predraft workouts, where they tested him against the type of high-velocity pitching he did not see regularly on Maryland's prep circuit. Likewise, he was rather raw against spin during his professional debut. A year later, Merrill has developed advanced offspeed coverage for his age, not to mention an impressive left-on-left approach. He handles all types of pitches and is rarely fazed in the batter's box. His sweet swing and advanced pitch recognition and approach give him a chance to be a plus hitter with above-average power at maturity, though he is still learning to pull the ball in the air. Just as Merrill rapidly improved as a hitter, he upped his range, mobility, first-step reads and arm strength in his first full year to silence concerns about him moving off shortstop. He is a fundamentally sound defender with polished hands and footwork that is the result of his dedication to his pregame work. Just an average runner, Merrill makes every play as a result of his excellent pre-pitch positioning and anticipation and completes every throw with his above-average, accurate arm. Club officials rave about his culture-changing makeup that will help him overcome any challenges.
  
  The Future: Merrill has the ability to play shortstop, but the Padres' depth at the position could ultimately push him to second or third base, where he would be an athletic defender with a bat that could produce in the middle of the order. He projects to move quickly for a high school player and could jump straight to Double-A San Antonio to begin 2023.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hitting: 60. Power: 55. Speed: 50. Fielding: 55. Arm: 55
• 
  Ranked San Diego Padres #7 prospect in 2022
  Track Record: Merrill didn’t attend many of the top showcase events during the summer of 2020 and was subsequently viewed as a popup prospect when he emerged last spring. The Padres, however, were on Merrill well before he tied a school record with 13 homers and were happy to select him 27th overall. Merrill signed for a below-slot $1.8 million to forgo a Kentucky commitment and held his own during his pro debut in the Rookie-level Arizona Complex League until a minor hip flexor injury ended his season. He returned healthy in time to participate in instructional league.
  
  Scouting Report: Merrill had a huge growth spurt and added nearly 30 pounds in the months leading up to the draft. The added strength gave him plus raw power, which is now his main selling point. Merrill’s solid bat speed and feel for hitting intrigued the Padres over multiple workouts, where they tested him against the type of high-velocity pitching he did not see regularly in Maryland’s prep circuit. He is still rather raw against spin and will need to learn to turn on pitches to unlock his power potential, but he has the raw ingredients to hit for both average and power. Merrill could very well outgrow shortstop, but he has the average speed, soft hands and above-average arm strength to at least start his career at the position.
  
  The Future: Merrill will make his full-season debut at Low-A Elsinore in 2022. At worst, the Padres see him developing into a multi-positional, lefthanded hitter in the mold of D-backs utilityman Josh Rojas.
  

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #100 prospect in 2021 draft
  Merrill is one of the bigger draft risers late in the process and in June was getting buzz from around the industry that he wouldn’t get out of the second round. Now listed at 6-foot-2, 180 pounds, Merrill has gone through a huge growth spurt over the last six months or so, adding a significant amount of strength that has changed his profile. He’s now showing plus raw power and the teams high on him really like his lefthanded swing and feel for hitting. He has solid bat speed and a swing that’s conducive to hitting the other way, and the defensive tools that should give him a chance to stick at shortstop. He’s an average runner with solid hands and moves well enough to at least stick on the infield, with above-average arm strength. Like many players in the 2021 class, Merrill is a polarizing prospect with a wide range of opinions from the industry. More skeptical evaluators like him as a later Day Two pick and think he should go to school and prove his hitting ability, because he wasn’t at many of the big summer showcase events last summer and his Maryland competition this spring wasn’t great. Previously an Army commit, Merrill is now committed to Kentucky, but there’s been enough heat on him that there’s a real chance he doesn’t make it to campus.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #17 prospect in 2024
• Ranked Baseball America's #13 prospect in 2023
• Ranked Baseball America's #21 prospect in 2023

• February, 2023 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 60/High
  
  Track Record: Merrill didn't attend many of the top high school showcase events during the summer of 2020 and was subsequently viewed as a popup prospect when he began to emerge in 2021 in the Baltimore-Washington metro area. The Padres were on Merrill well before he tied the Severna Park High record with 13 homers and were happy to select him 27th overall. He signed for a below-slot $1.8 million to forgo a Kentucky commitment and held his own during his pro debut in the Arizona Complex League until a minor hip flexor injury ended his season. In 2022 he was limited to 55 games in his full-season debut because of a fractured left wrist and a hamstring injury. Even in that limited time, Merrill stood out. He hit .339/.385/.511 in the regular season and went 11-for-17 with four doubles and three steals in four postseason games to help Low-A Lake Elsinore win the California League title. The Padres sent Merrill to the Arizona Fall League after the season, where he held his own.
  
  Scouting Report: Merrill had a huge growth spurt and added nearly 30 pounds leading up to the draft. The added strength gave him plus raw power, which continues to be the main selling point even as he learns to leverage it in games. Merrill's solid bat speed and feel for hitting intrigued the Padres over multiple predraft workouts, where they tested him against the type of high-velocity pitching he did not see regularly on Maryland's prep circuit. Likewise, he was rather raw against spin during his professional debut. A year later, Merrill has developed advanced offspeed coverage for his age, not to mention an impressive left-on-left approach. He handles all types of pitches and is rarely fazed in the batter's box. His sweet swing and advanced pitch recognition and approach give him a chance to be a plus hitter with above-average power at maturity, though he is still learning to pull the ball in the air. Just as Merrill rapidly improved as a hitter, he upped his range, mobility, first-step reads and arm strength in his first full year to silence concerns about him moving off shortstop. He is a fundamentally sound defender with polished hands and footwork that is the result of his dedication to his pregame work. Just an average runner, Merrill makes every play as a result of his excellent pre-pitch positioning and anticipation and completes every throw with his above-average, accurate arm. Club officials rave about his culture-changing makeup that will help him overcome any challenges.
  
  The Future: Merrill has the ability to play shortstop, but the Padres' depth at the position could ultimately push him to second or third base, where he would be an athletic defender with a bat that could produce in the middle of the order. He projects to move quickly for a high school player and could jump straight to Double-A San Antonio to begin 2023.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hitting: 60. Power: 55. Speed: 50. Fielding: 55. Arm: 55
• December, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 60/High
  
  Track Record: Merrill didn't attend many of the top high school showcase events during the summer of 2020 and was subsequently viewed as a popup prospect when he began to emerge in 2021 in the Baltimore-Washington metro area. The Padres were on Merrill well before he tied the Severna Park High record with 13 homers and were happy to select him 27th overall. He signed for a below-slot $1.8 million to forgo a Kentucky commitment and held his own during his pro debut in the Arizona Complex League until a minor hip flexor injury ended his season. In 2022 he was limited to 55 games in his full-season debut because of a fractured left wrist and a hamstring injury. Even in that limited time, Merrill stood out. He hit .339/.385/.511 in the regular season and went 11-for-17 with four doubles and three steals in four postseason games to help Low-A Lake Elsinore win the California League title. The Padres sent Merrill to the Arizona Fall League after the season, where he held his own.
  
  Scouting Report: Merrill had a huge growth spurt and added nearly 30 pounds leading up to the draft. The added strength gave him plus raw power, which continues to be the main selling point even as he learns to leverage it in games. Merrill's solid bat speed and feel for hitting intrigued the Padres over multiple predraft workouts, where they tested him against the type of high-velocity pitching he did not see regularly on Maryland's prep circuit. Likewise, he was rather raw against spin during his professional debut. A year later, Merrill has developed advanced offspeed coverage for his age, not to mention an impressive left-on-left approach. He handles all types of pitches and is rarely fazed in the batter's box. His sweet swing and advanced pitch recognition and approach give him a chance to be a plus hitter with above-average power at maturity, though he is still learning to pull the ball in the air. Just as Merrill rapidly improved as a hitter, he upped his range, mobility, first-step reads and arm strength in his first full year to silence concerns about him moving off shortstop. He is a fundamentally sound defender with polished hands and footwork that is the result of his dedication to his pregame work. Just an average runner, Merrill makes every play as a result of his excellent pre-pitch positioning and anticipation and completes every throw with his above-average, accurate arm. Club officials rave about his culture-changing makeup that will help him overcome any challenges.
  
  The Future: Merrill has the ability to play shortstop, but the Padres' depth at the position could ultimately push him to second or third base, where he would be an athletic defender with a bat that could produce in the middle of the order. He projects to move quickly for a high school player and could jump straight to Double-A San Antonio to begin 2023.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hitting: 60. Power: 55. Speed: 50. Fielding: 55. Arm: 55
• April, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade: 55/Very High
  
  Track Record: Merrill didn&#39t attend many of the top showcase events during the summer of 2020 and was subsequently viewed as a popup prospect when he emerged last spring. The Padres, however, were on Merrill well before he tied a school record with 13 homers and were happy to select him 27th overall. Merrill signed for a below-slot $1.8 million to forgo a Kentucky commitment and held his own during his pro debut in the Rookie-level Arizona Complex League until a minor hip flexor injury ended his season. He returned healthy in time to participate in instructional league.
  
  Scouting Report: Merrill had a huge growth spurt and added nearly 30 pounds in the months leading up to the draft. The added strength gave him plus raw power, which is now his main selling point. Merrill&#39s solid bat speed and feel for hitting intrigued the Padres over multiple workouts, where they tested him against the type of high-velocity pitching he did not see regularly in Maryland&#39s prep circuit. He is still rather raw against spin and will need to learn to turn on pitches to unlock his power potential, but he has the raw ingredients to hit for both average and power. Merrill could very well outgrow shortstop, but he has the average speed, soft hands and above-average arm strength to at least start his career at the position.
  
  The Future: Merrill will make his full-season debut at Low-A Elsinore in 2022. At worst, the Padres see him developing into a multi-positional, lefthanded hitter in the mold of D-backs utilityman Josh Rojas.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hit: 55. Power: 55. Speed: 50. Fielding: 45. Arm: 55.
• December, 2021 Scouting Report
  Track Record: Merrill didn’t attend many of the top showcase events during the summer of 2020 and was subsequently viewed as a popup prospect when he emerged last spring. The Padres, however, were on Merrill well before he tied a school record with 13 homers and were happy to select him 27th overall. Merrill signed for a below-slot $1.8 million to forgo a Kentucky commitment and held his own during his pro debut in the Rookie-level Arizona Complex League until a minor hip flexor injury ended his season. He returned healthy in time to participate in instructional league.
  
  Scouting Report: Merrill had a huge growth spurt and added nearly 30 pounds in the months leading up to the draft. The added strength gave him plus raw power, which is now his main selling point. Merrill’s solid bat speed and feel for hitting intrigued the Padres over multiple workouts, where they tested him against the type of high-velocity pitching he did not see regularly in Maryland’s prep circuit. He is still rather raw against spin and will need to learn to turn on pitches to unlock his power potential, but he has the raw ingredients to hit for both average and power. Merrill could very well outgrow shortstop, but he has the average speed, soft hands and above-average arm strength to at least start his career at the position.
  
  The Future: Merrill will make his full-season debut at Low-A Elsinore in 2022. At worst, the Padres see him developing into a multi-positional, lefthanded hitter in the mold of D-backs utilityman Josh Rojas.
  
• July, 2021 Scouting Report
  Merrill is one of the bigger draft risers late in the process and in June was getting buzz from around the industry that he wouldn't get out of the second round. Now listed at 6-foot-2, 180 pounds, Merrill has gone through a huge growth spurt over the last six months or so, adding a significant amount of strength that has changed his profile. He's now showing plus raw power and the teams high on him really like his lefthanded swing and feel for hitting. He has solid bat speed and a swing that's conducive to hitting the other way, and the defensive tools that should give him a chance to stick at shortstop. He's an average runner with solid hands and moves well enough to at least stick on the infield, with above-average arm strength. Like many players in the 2021 class, Merrill is a polarizing prospect with a wide range of opinions from the industry. More skeptical evaluators like him as a later Day Two pick and think he should go to school and prove his hitting ability, because he wasn't at many of the big summer showcase events last summer and his Maryland competition this spring wasn't great. Previously an Army commit, Merrill is now committed to Kentucky, but there's been enough heat on him that there's a real chance he doesn't make it to campus.