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San Diego Padres outfielder Jackson Merrill had an incredible 2024 season is one of the favorites to win the Rookie of the Year award in the National League. Without Merrill, the Padres likely would not have even made it to the postseason this year.
But, what if the Padres had included Merrill in the trade that got them Juan Soto from the Washington Nationals in 2022?
When the Nationals traded Soto to the Padres at the 2022 trade deadline, they asked for Merrill first before the Padres countered with James Wood, according to Tom Krasovic of the San Diego Union Tribune.
“The Nationals in fact asked for Merrill in the Juan Soto trade talks during the 2023 season,” Krasovic wrote. “Showing high regard for Merrill, Preller held him out of the trade and included James Wood, a slugging outfielder and Padres draftee who reminded some scouts of a young Aaron Judge and drew higher rankings from some media outlets than Merrill entering this season.”
While Wood has had a promising start to his Major League career with the Nationals, hitting .264 with nine home runs in 79 games after his mid-season promotion, Merrill is looking like a potential superstar. The Padres made the absolute correct decision in refusing to send Merrill to the Nationals. Padres president of baseball operations A.J. Preller deserves a lot of credit for holding on to Merrill despite the Nationals holding the upper-hand in negotiations during the Soto trade.
Jackson Merrill's 2024 rookie season with the San Diego Padres
In Merrill's rookie season, he slashed .292/.326/.500 while hitting 24 home runs and driving in 90 runs. He also played exceptional defense his center field despite it being his first time playing the position after transitioning from shortstop before the start of the season.
There were lots of questions about how the Padres would do this season after trading Soto to the Yankees. Merrill's production put those concerns to rest as he helped lead the Padres to a 93-69 record, the first National League Wild Card spot, a Wild Card round victory over the Atlanta Braves and a neck-and-neck five game NLDS loss to the pennant-winning Los Angeles Dodgers.
Just 21 years old, Merrill has the potential to be one of the absolute best players in baseball after such an impressive rookie season. Based on what he was able to do in 2024 both with his bat and with his glove, it is not out of the question that Merrill could become a perennial MVP candidate.
