The Major League Baseball San Diego Padres have secured 2nd-year elite prospect Jackson Merrill with a massive long-term contract.
MLB.com reported on the 2nd (Korean time) that the San Diego Padres and 21-year-old outfielder Merrill agreed to a 9-year, $135 million (approximately 197.4 billion won) extension contract running from 2026 to 2034. Mark Feinsand and AJ Cassavell of MLB.com relayed this through sources.
According to reports from FanSided's Robert Murray and MLB Network insider Jon Heyman, the San Diego club can extend the contract up to $204 million (approximately 298.3 billion won) through options.
Merrill was selected by San Diego with the 27th overall pick in the 1st round of the 2021 rookie draft. Regarded as a top prospect since joining San Diego, Merrill made his Major League debut last year, playing in 156 games and achieving a batting average of .292, hitting 24 home runs, recording 90 RBIs and 16 stolen bases, with an on-base percentage of .326, slugging percentage of .500, and OPS of .826.
Merrill recorded a franchise-high 4.4 bWAR last season and was selected as an All-Star. He finished 2nd in the National League Rookie of the Year voting and 9th in the MVP voting last year.
This season, Merrill has played in 6 games, recording a batting average of .400 (8 hits in 20 at-bats), hitting 1 home run, and 6 RBIs, with an on-base percentage of .435, slugging percentage of .600, and OPS of 1.035.
It is surprising that San Diego has entered into a massive long-term contract worth 200 billion won. San Diego has been facing difficulties in team management due to the bankruptcy of a broadcasting company last year. The late former owner Peter Seidler's wife, Sue Seidler, has filed a lawsuit against John's Seidler, the brother of her deceased husband, concerning the management rights of the team.
The team has been passive in investments in the offseason free agency market. They were unable to retain Kim Ha-seong, Jurickson Profar, and Tanner Scott, who became free agents after finishing last season with San Diego. Catcher Kyle Higashioka and left-handed pitcher Martin Pérez also left for other teams.
San Diego already has long-term contracts with players like Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr., Xander Bogaerts, Yu Darvish, Joe Musgrove, and Jake Cronenworth. They have made another significant bet to retain core prospects.
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