San Diego Padres standout slugger Jackson Merrill recently voiced his thoughts on the massive contract extension he signed with the team this spring.
Jackson Merrill wants to be with the Padres “forever”
The Padres shared this quote from Merrill after he got inked to a nine-year, $135 million deal on Wednesday (h/t MLB.com’s AJ Cassavell):
“The Padres were the first team that ever reached out to me, scouted me, they believed in me from day one. A.J.’s [Preller] been there by my side, being my biggest supporter, Merrill said. “From that first instance of talking with him, I knew I wanted to be here forever. My goal is to win. To dominate on the field with my boys. I’m just happy I get to do it for a long time now.”
Merrill is headed for superstardom amid huge extension
Merrill did not earn such a gargantuan payday for no reason. The 21-year-old is off to a hot start to the 2025 MLB season. Across the first seven games of the year, the Maryland native is hitting .417 at the plate with two home runs to go along with eight RBIs. Merrill’s 1.153 OPS impresses.
A year after winning the Silver Slugger Award as a rookie, the one-time All-Star will look to reach superstardom over the duration of his contract, which will last until 2036. By then, Merrill will be up for another lucrative contract in the thick of his prime.
Thus far in 2025, the Padres are off to an undefeated 7-0 start thanks in large part to the lefty slugger’s contributions. Merrill will look to make this year a jumping-off point for his career moving forward.
