San Diego Padres star center fielder Jackson Merrill recently spoke on his decision to not sign a contract extension with the ball club prior to his MLB debut.
Padres: Jackson Merrill is steadfast in contract decisions
According to San Diego Padres on SI’s Gabe Smallson, Merrill had this to say about whether he made the right choice betting on himself:
“I’d say so myself, yeah,” Merrill said. “But I’d still rather just be here right now and forever.”
Merrill’s decision is paying off through early part of career
It’s safe to say that, as things stand, Merrill made a wise choice. Signing an extension prior to his debut would have prolonged his timeframe to demand a lucrative multi-year deal. The 21-year-old has emerged as one of the premier talents in the MLB. He became the 16th rookie in history to win the Silver Slugger Award in 2024.
This season, Merrill is off to a blistering start. The Maryland native is slashing .556/.545/.556 with a 1.101 WHIP. This is now Merrill’s second year in pre-arbitration. The lefty slugger made $740,000 in 2024. He’s now making $800,000 for the 2025 campaign.
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Seeing that Merrill will hit arbitration in two seasons, he could soon be due for a massive long-term deal. The Padres have a great chance to win the World Series in short order with their uber-talented roster.
Should Merrill be the main catalyst of a run to the Fall Classic, he could garner an eight-figure deal leading up to an even more sizable deal down the road at the apex of his prime. For now, his mentality of playing in the moment is paying major dividends for himself and the Padres.
