Padres Superstar Reveals Why He's Not Playing for Team USA in World Baseball Classic

San Diego Padres superstar Jackson Merrill won't represent Team USA in the World Baseball Classic this March. The outfielder was coy about whether or not he was asked to participate in the tournament, but what is fact is that he will remain with the Padres in spring camp.

Merrill's fellow superstars on the Padres, Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr., are set to represent the Dominican Republica in this year's WBC. While the 22-year-old praised his teammates, he explained why at this point in his career it's better to stick with the team this spring.

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“Obviously, what Manny and Tati and countless others are doing, it’s sick. It’s awesome they’re playing for their country,” Merrill said to The Athletic's Dennis Lin. “But for me personally, this year is probably not a good year to go and do it. I’m not saying I said yes or no or even got asked. I’m just saying that for me personally, with injuries last year, people not being here, being more of a leader this year is more important to me than that right now.”

Merrill's ultimate goal is to bring the city of San Diego its first championship, and he believes that won't happen unless he's fully prepared to be a contributing factor in 2026.

“We’re trying to win the World Series with this team. We got a good window right now,” Merrill said. “So, I want to be as best, physically, as I can before the season, rather than ramp it up early and possibly get an injury and miss time like I did last year.”

How Did Jackson Merrill Perform in 2025?

Merrill is coming off somewhat of a sophomore slump by his standards, as he averaged .264 with 16 home runs and 67 runs batted in last season. It was far from the historic performance fans witnessed his rookie year, where he earned a Silver Slugger award and was named an All-Star at just 21 years old.

Merrill became only the second Padres rookie to win a Silver Slugger — joining Benito Santiago on the short list — and was the youngest Padres All-Star ever. He hit .292 with 24 home runs, 90 RBIs and 16 steals, finishing second in NL Rookie of the Year voting.

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There was much controversy surrounding Merrill's second place finish in the NL Rookie of the Year race as the outfielder lost to Pittsburgh Pirate ace Paul Skenes. Nevertheless, the Padres believed in their superstar as he signed a nine-year, $135 million extension with the team last April.

Merrill's performance in 2025 was mostly hampered by injuries as he landed on the injured list three separate times due to a hamstring strain, concussion and ankle sprain. His injuries limited him to 115 games, where he could not replicate the same production from his breakout rookie year.

In Year 3, Merrill is hoping to change that by spending the entirety of spring training with his team, free of any distractions.

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