ESPN Insider Predicts Jackson Merrill Gets Exponentially Better for Padres in 2025

The San Diego Padres have a budding superstar in Jackson Merrill.

Some of baseball's top minds are also taking note on the talent of the 21-year-old centerfielder as ESPN's Eric Karabell made a bold prediction about the 2025 campaign.

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Turning only 22 years old in April, Merrill very quickly proved that he is ready for The Show last season.

With a minor league slash line of .295/.347/.455 with an OPS of .802 since 2021, there was very little doubt that the former first-round draft pick wouldn't rise to the occasion of starting his major league career in San Diego. What he ended up doing last season was good for second place in Rookie of the Year voting behind the dominant season Paul Skenes had for the Pittsburgh Pirates (going 11-3 with a 1.96 ERA); however, there were some who felt Merrill was snubbed of the award.

Merrill's major league slash line was .292/.326/.500 with an OPS of .826 as he added 24 home runs and 90 RBIs. His very first All-Star and Silver Slugger honors were just the cherry on top of his jaw-dropping season.

Karabell believes that Merrill is only going to up his production in 2025.

"Jackson Merrill continues his ascent to stardom, delivering a 30-100-25 season," read the insider's prediction for this season.

The stat line of 30 home runs, 100 RBIs, and 25 stolen bases isn't too far off from what transpired last year.

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Merrill was six home runs away, 10 RBIs away, nine stolen bases away as he finished with 16 swipes at the close of the regular season.

A 30-100-25 campaign would put Merrill in the same rare air of only a handful of pros who have crossed this threshold like Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, Barry Bonds, and other Hall of Famers.

Whether the stars align for Merrill to finish with these stats or not, fans can definitely count on another standout year from the Padres' next superstar.

“I want to get better,” Merrill said earlier this week. “That’s the way I always am. I look at things, and I always want to get better.”

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