2025 Player Outlook

What an absolute banger of a rookie campaign for Jackson Merrill, who jumped straight to the big leagues from Double-A AND learned a new position (centerfield) on the fly in the process. All he did was slash .292/.326/.500 with 24 home runs and 16 stolen bases to finish runner-up for the NL Rookie of the Year award. Merrill started out the year as the 9th hitter in the batting order, ascended to the 6th spot before the All-Star break, and finished the season as the number 5 hitter. He begins his sophomore campaign looking like a fixture in the heart of the Padres lineup for years to come.