San Diego, CA

Padres roster review: Jackson Merrill

Published

1 year ago

January 24, 2025

Press Room

Padres roster review: Jackson Merrill – San Diego Union-Tribune

JACKSON MERRILL

Position(s): Center field
Bats / Throws: Left / Right
2025 opening day age: 21
Height / Weight: 6-foot-3 / 195 pounds
How acquired: 1st round in 2021 (Severna Park HS, Md)
Contract status: Will not be arbitration-eligible until 2027
fWAR in 2024: 5.3
Key 2024 stats: .292 avg., .326 OBP, .500 SLG, 24 HRs, 90 RBIs, 77 runs, 29 walks, 101 strikeouts, 16 steals (156 games, 593 plate appearances)

STAT TO NOTE

.945 — Merrill’s OPS in 61 games after the All-Star break, 200 points above his first-half mark. Merrill paired 12 homers and 46 RBIs with a .278/.310/.435 batting line over 95 games to earn an All-Star invitation and then upped his game with 12 more homers and a .314/.349/.596 batting line as the Padres went 43-20 after the break to wrap up the NL’s top wild-card spot.

Up — Before selecting Merrill with the 27th overall pick in 2021, the Padres’ first pick of the draft had been entrenched inside the top-10 since 2016. The industry saw Merrill as a pop-up prospect, but the Padres were confident in their homework on him coming out of the pandemic and were rewarded when Merrill developed into a prospect that ranked as high as No. 12 in MLB.com’s top-100 heading into the 2024 season. He was still a shortstop at that point, but that didn’t stop the Padres, ever creative under Padres President of Baseball Operations A.J. Preller, from giving him a look in left field and then in center in spring training. Merrill looked like a natural in the grass and hit .333/.378/.548 in a Cactus League to force his way onto the opening day roster and into the lineup for the Seoul Series. At 20 years and 336 days old, only Ken Griffey Jr. (19 years, 133 days in 1989 and 20 years, 139 days in 1990) and Don Hahn (20 years, 143 days in 1969) were younger than Merrill while starting in center field on opening day in the divisional era. Merrill went on to collect two hits in his second game and hold his own in April (.696 OPS). After a cold May (.656 OPS), he hit .320/.346/.651 in June as the NL Rookie of the Month. That helped catapult Merrill toward a spot on the NL’s All-Star team, but a second NL Rookie of the Month push in August was part of a second-half tear (see stat to note) that helped push the Padres toward the NL’s top wild-card spot. Merrill hit 12 of his 24 homers in the second half and ranked in the top 96% in the majors in expected slugging (.534) during the breakout rookie season. Moreover, he became the first rookie and the youngest player of the expansion era to ever hit five game-tying or go-ahead homers in the ninth inning or later, which included blasts off some of the best relievers in the game in Mason Miller, Edwin Díaz and Blake Treinen. Merrill went on to hit .250/.333/.500 with one homer in seven postseason games. Merrill finished second to the Pirates’ Paul Skenes’ historic year in NL Rookie of the Year voting, but his credentials were more than good enough to win in most years as he led all rookies in hits (162), extra-base hits (61), RBIs (90), batting average (.292) and slugging (.500), was tied with the Orioles’ Colton Cowser in home runs and was tied for sixth among all center fielders with 12 outs above average.

2025 OUTLOOK

Merrill developing into an All-Star as a rookie played a major role in a payroll-shedding Padres team winning 93 games, second most in franchise history. The Padres have yet to outline a plan to replace Ha-Seong Kim at shortstop and Merrill could be seen as an option. The organization, however, has top prospect Leodalis De Vries developing quickly, which could lead the Padres to allow Merrill to simply build on a standout 2024 season in center field, perhaps higher in the lineup, too, as he moved into a run-producing role late in the year after spending most of the season in the bottom third.

San Diego Padres’ Jackson Merrill and teammates celebrate a 4-2 win against the Los Angeles Dodgers to secure a playoff spot at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024.(K.C. Alfred / The San Diego Union-Tribune)

Roster rankings

6. RHP Yu Darvish
7. INF Luis Arraez
8. INF Xander Bogaerts
9. RHP Robert Suarez
10. INF Jake Cronenworth
11. RHP Jason Adam
12. RHP Joe Musgrove
13. Adrián Morejón
14. RHP Jeremiah Estrada
15. RHP Matt Waldron
16. INF Eguy Rosario
17. RHP Randy Vásquez
18. RHP Bryan Hoeing
19. LHP Yuki Matsui
20. RHP Sean Reynolds
21. C Luis Campusano
22. RHP Jhony Brito
23. RHP Alek Jacob
24. OF Tirso Ornelas
25. RHP Ryan Bergert
26. RHP Henry Baez
27. LHP Omar Cruz
28. OF Brandon Lockridge
29. LHP Tom Cosgrove
30. RHP Stephen Kolek
31. RHP Juan Nuñez
32. C Brett Sullivan
33. UT Tyler Wade
34. LHP Wandy Peralta

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San Diego, CA

Here are the 9 San Diego County communities that set or tied heat records

Published

4 hours ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

Here are the 9 San Diego County communities that set or tied heat records

San Diego County is known for having wet, cold weather in February. But it had numerous hot spells this year. And when the month ended on Saturday a high pressure system produced heat that broke or tied temperature records in nine communities from the desert to the sea, the National Weather Service said.

The most notable temperature occurred in Borrego Springs, which reached 99, five degrees higher than the previous record for Feb. 28, set in 1986. The 99 reading is also the highest temperature ever recorded in Borrego in February.

Escondido reached 95, tying a record set in 1901.

El Cajon reached 92, three degrees higher than the record set in 2009.

Ramona topped out at 88, five degrees higher than the record set in 2009.

Alpine hit 88, four degrees higher the record set in 1986.

Campo reached 87, four degrees higher than the record set in 1999.

Vista hit 86, four degrees higher than the record set in 2020.

Chula Vista reached 84, one degree higher than the record set in 2020.

Lake Cuyamaca rose to 76, four degrees higher than the record set in 1986.

Forecasters say the weather is not likely to broadly produce new highs on Sunday. Cooler air is moving to the coast, and on Monday, San Diego’s high will only reach 67, a degree above normal.

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San Diego, CA

Francis Parker captures Open Division girls basketball title

Published

16 hours ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

Francis Parker captures Open Division girls basketball title

OCEANSIDE — The Frontwave Arena scoreboard showed 23 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. Up 16, Francis Parker’s win over Westview High School for the CIF San Diego Section Open Division girls basketball championship was secure.

“No, no, no!” Parker head coach Courtney Clements screamed to freshman guard Jordan Brown, telling her there was no need to score.

So Brown walked the ball up the floor, from the backcourt, across midcourt, a 1,000-watt smile etched across her face.

With no Wolverines defending her, Brown dribbled from side to side across the logo. Then, a fraction of a moment before the final buzzer sounded, Brown flung the basketball high toward the rafters, then was engulfed by teammates.

The job was complete. Parker’s first Open Division title in program history was secure, the final reading 66-50 on Saturday night.

Of those final seconds, said Brown, who scored 23 points. “It was a surreal moment, knowing we worked for this all year long. It’s amazing.”

One reason it was amazing was because the top-seeded Lancers (21-7) were a decided favorite, but were stressed by the sixth-seeded Wolverines (20-9). Led by UC Santa Barbara-bound senior guard Sarah Heyn (18 points in the first half), Westview led 35-28 early in the third quarter.

“I just knew I had to do whatever it took to win,” said Brown. “Whether that was defense or offense. I just wanted to win, period.”

Sparked by its defense, Parker closed the quarter on a 14-0 run. Westview’s final 11 possessions of the quarter ended with five missed shots and six turnovers.

Still, the game wasn’t over. Heyn cut the deficit to 48-44 with just over six minutes to play on a bucket. But with 5:47 to play, Heyn was whistled for her fifth foul on a reach-in.

“Knowing their best player fouled out, we sealed the win,” said Brown.

As for Heyn, who finished with 23 points, she sat on the bench and pulled her jersey over her eyes, hiding tears.

Clements’ thoughts when Heyn fouled out? “I hope we can put this game away now.”

Francis Parker High’s Jordan Brown shoots against Westview High during the CIF Open Division championship at Frontwave Arena in Oceanside on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026. Francis Parker defeated Westview 66-50. (Kristian Carreon / The San Diego Union-Tribune)

That the Lancers did, outscoring Westview 18-6 down the stretch.

The Lancers’ players and coach were effusive in their praise for Heyn, a four-year starter.

“She’s a great player,” said Brown.

“She played phenomenally,” said Clements. “She played the way you would think a senior would play in a championship game. She played desperately. She played every possession like it was the last 20 seconds of the game. She was extremely impressive. (Heyn buried five 3s, missing only once from deep.) She should be proud of herself.”

Clements was proud of her team for another reason. After blowing out two-time reigning Open Division champion Mission Hills by 26 in the semis, some thought Parker might cruise in the title game.

“I figured it was going to be a fight, and it was,” said Clements. “It was good that our girls had to come together, had to stick together. That’s what this is all about, developing character via the sport of basketball. When the kids face adversity, they have to make a decision. Who do they want to be? They showed the best version of themselves. That’s what I want to remember from a game like this.”

Francis Parker’s primary color is brown, which is fitting for the girls basketball team. They are led not only by the freshman Jordan Brown, but also junior Brieana Brown, a strong, aggressive and athletic 5-foot-11 wing.

Brieana Brown scored 25 points and yanked down a team-best eight rebounds.

About the team in brown being led by the Browns (who are not related), Jordan Brown said: “It’s super cool. I love Bri and our story. So many people think we’re related, that we’re siblings. In reality, we’re not, but we play like it.”

Francis Parker High's Brieana Brown shoots against Westview during the CIF Open Division championship at Frontwave Arena in Oceanside on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026. Francis Parker defeated Westview 66-50. (Kristian Carreon / The San Diego Union-Tribune) — Francis Parker High’s Brieana Brown shoots against Westview during the CIF Open Division championship at Frontwave Arena in Oceanside on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026. Francis Parker defeated Westview 66-50. (Kristian Carreon / The San Diego Union-Tribune)

Francis Parker and Westview both will advance to the Southern California Regionals.

Earlier in the season, Clements — who was dressed in all black for the championship game — confessed she wasn’t crazy about Parker’s primary color. Her mood shifted Saturday night.

“Brown’s doing well for me now,” she said.

Asked if Lancers’ Brown squared tandem represents the best one-two girls basketball punch in the San Diego Section, Clements gave the questioner a “What do you think?” smirk.

“That,” said the coach of the Open Division champions, “is a no-brainer.”

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