Jackson Merrill Biography

Jackson Peter Merrill, born on April 19, 2003, is an American professional baseball center fielder who has played for the San Diego Padres in Major League Baseball. He was chosen in the first round of the 2021 MLB draft by the Padres and made his MLB debut in 2024. His junior year at Severna Park was cut short due to the pandemic, after which he dedicated himself to training and gained 30 pounds of muscle, equivalent to 14 kilograms. Merrill began his professional career with the rookie-level Arizona Complex League Padres. He started the 2022 season with the Lake Elsinore Storm in the Single-A California League. During the 2023 season, he split time between the High–A Fort Wayne TinCaps and Double–A San Antonio Missions, appearing in 114 games and posting a .277 batting average with 15 home runs, 64 RBI, and 15 stolen bases. Merrill made his major league debut the next day in the Seoul Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.