Jackson Merrill

Some Lesser Known Facts About Jackson Merrill

• Jackson Merrill started playing baseball in Severna Park, Maryland.

• During his teenage years, he was a fan of the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB).

• After his junior season was cancelled due to COVID-19, he started working out and gained over 14 kg (30 pounds) of muscle.

• In his junior year, he played for the Army Black Knights before moving to the Kentucky Wildcats in his senior year.

• He received a scholarship to complete his college degree.

• In the 2021 Major League Baseball (MLB) Draft, the San Diego Padres selected him in the first round with the 27th overall pick.

• He signed a deal with the Padres in 2021 with a $1.8 million signing bonus.

• He played in many leagues, including the Arizona Complex League (ACL) in 2021, the California League in 2022, the MidWest League in 2023, and the Texas League in 2023.

  

• He became the first rookie Padres player to be selected for the All-Star Game after being chosen as a reserve player in the 2024 MLB All-Star Game.

• He hit the first postseason home run of his career during Game 2 of the National League Division Series for San Diego Padres against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

  

• In April 2025, he signed a 9-year contract extension with the Padres for $135 million guaranteed, with a maximum value of $204 million.

• For every 500 plate appearances in a season, he will earn an additional $1 million toward his future salaries for the 2030-2034 seasons.

• There is a club option for a 10th year (2035), which will convert to a player option if he finishes in the top five of MVP voting.

• KHG Sports Management Agency manages him.