Padres' Center Fielder Joins Willie Mays in Exclusive Group

Maren Angus-Coombs | Jun 22, 2024

Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

Just two days after Hall of Famer Willie Mays passed away, San Diego Padres center fielder Jackson Merrill joined an elite list that includes two names — Mays and Merrill.

With a solo home run in the fifth inning, the 21-year-old recorded his sixth home run in his last eight games. According to OptaSTATS, Merrill now joins Mays as one of two center fielders in MLB history to hit six-plus homers in an eight-game span before turning 22 years old. Mays did so from July 15 to July 22, 1951.

Jackson Merrill of the @Padres is the second center fielder 21 or younger in MLB history to hit 6+ HR in an 8-game span (counting only HR while playing CF).

The other was Willie Mays from July 15-22, 1951. pic.twitter.com/GtfITwX6wJ

— OptaSTATS (@OptaSTATS) June 21, 2024

Merrill has cemented himself in early National League Rookie of the Year talks. Among qualified rookies, he's currently first in hits (70) and home runs (nine), second in RBIs (31), third in batting average (.279), runs (33), and fWAR (1.8), eighth in slugging (.426), OPS (.742) and wRC+ (114), and fifth in stolen bases (nine). He is doing all that while learning a new position on the fly.

The Padres needed to find outfielders after trading Juan Soto and Trent Grisham to the New York Yankees and turned to Merrill who was a shortstop in the minor league system. He began spring training in the outfield and broke camp with the big league club, bypassing Triple-A completely.

The rookie is making noise for the Padres and In the past 15 games, Merrill is slashing .321/.357/.736 with an OPS of 1.093, 17 hits in 53 at-bats, four doubles, six home runs, and nine RBIs.