Angels Could Have Landed Jackson Merrill, More From Padres in Shohei Ohtani Trade: Report

The San Diego Padres were reportedly willing to include highly-touted prospect Jackson Merrill in a trade for Shohei Ohtani back in 2022, a move that would have provided the Los Angeles Angels with a future face of the franchise.

Shohei Ohtani greeted many of his former Angels teammates and ended by surprising Angels GM Perry Minasian, who missed the opportunity to re-sign Ohtani.@SportingTrib | #Dodgers pic.twitter.com/PKeRf1GMke
— Fredo Cervantes (@FredoCervantes) May 17, 2025

Ohtani won an American League MVP Award with the Angels, although he never succeeded in reaching the playoffs with the team.

He and Mike Trout formed a dynamic duo for several seasons, standing out as one of the few bright spots for an organization that has struggled to achieve postseason success.

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During the winter of 2023, the Angels lost Ohtani in free agency to the Los Angeles Dodgers, as they were unwilling and unable to meet his price tag. Although several tantalizing trades materialized, they never crossed the finish line.

The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal claims that the Padres president of baseball operations A.J. Preller was more than willing to include Merrill in a package that would consist of other prospects, with Angels' owner Arte Moreno nixing any deal from being solidified.

"As Ohtani approached free agency, Moreno on multiple occasions could have authorized his front office to trade the two-way superstar, with future San Diego Padres superstar Jackson Merrill among the prospects in play at the 2022 deadline," Rosenthal writes.

"The possibility first drew serious consideration at the 2022 deadline, with Ohtani still under Angels control for 1 1/2 seasons. The Padres were interested in both Ohtani and then-Washington Nationals outfielder Juan Soto, who had 2 1/2 years remaining.

"But Moreno balked at moving Ohtani, according to league sources who were granted anonymity for their candor. The Padres then pivoted to Soto and first baseman Josh Bell, sending the Nationals a stunning six-player collection that included left-hander MacKenzie Gore, shortstop CJ Abrams and outfielder James Wood.

"For Ohtani, Padres general manager A.J. Preller might have parted with a comparable or even better package, even for one less year of club control. Merrill was part of the trade discussions, according to sources briefed on the talks. It’s not out of the question the Padres would have included him if Moreno was willing to go forward."

Max Fried has thrown 327 sweepers in the big leagues

just twice has a ball been hit with a projected distance of more than 350 feet vs. Fried's sweeper:

1. Jackson Merrill in the 1st inning on Wednesday

2. Jackson Merrill in the 4th inning on Wednesday https://t.co/TWfDC03jTM pic.twitter.com/ROoiRTcM2N
— Céspedes Family BBQ (@CespedesBBQ) May 9, 2025

In hindsight, the decision to let Ohtani test free agency was a terrible one, leaving the Angels with a lack of talent in future prospects.

Moreno thought Ohtani would go for around $400 million, but his actual deal ended up at $700 million, highlighting how much the owner underestimated the deal. He would have seemingly traded Ohtani if he had known that would be his free agent price.

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Now, the Angels get to watch the Dodgers build around Ohtani, contend for titles, and have him break further records with them.

Merrill is one of the most promising players in baseball, already contributing at a high level at the age of 22. He ranks among the best hitters in the sport and is also one of the most impressive center fielders in the game.

He is well positioned to become one of the faces of the league, and he will seemingly do so with the Padres for the rest of his career, while the Angels are left wondering what could have been with an Ohtani trade.

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For more Angels news, head over to Angels on SI.