Padres’ Jackson Merrill Snubbed from Rookie of the Year Award

Maren Angus-Coombs | Nov 18, 2024

David Frerker-Imagn Images

Not to discredit Milwaukee's Jackson Chourio, but the National League Rookie of the Year race was really down to two players for most of the year –— Jackson Merrill and Paul Skenes.

However, it was Pittsburgh's right-handed flamethrower Skenes who bested the Padres' center fielder for the award on Monday.

There’s no disrespect to Skenes, who came in with huge expectations and certainly met them. However, it was Merrill who flew under the radar and matched his level of excellence — and did so throughout a full season while playing a new position.

Skenes won with 23 first-place votes. Merrill had seven.

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Merrill had not played center field in his life until he arrived at big league spring training after playing shortstop his entire career.

Merrill's case for Rookie of the Year is pretty straightforward. In 156 games, he led all major league rookies with 5.3 fWAR, 162 hits, 61 extra-base hits, 90 RBIs, a .292 batting average, and a .500 slugging percentage. He also tied for the lead with 24 home runs.

"I just always wanted to be aggressive."

NL Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year Award finalist Jackson Merrill talks about his approach in big situations prior to tonight's announcement.@Padres pic.twitter.com/QYITnTyG2F

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) November 18, 2024

Defensively, Merrill was exceptional in center field, earning 12 Outs Above Average.

At the plate, Merrill proved to be as clutch as any player in baseball, especially among rookies in recent memory. During a tight playoff race for the Padres, he hit five game-tying or go-ahead home runs in the ninth inning or later — more than any player in the majors in 2024 and the most by a rookie since at least 1961. What’s more impressive? Those key home runs came against some of the league’s top relievers, including Mason Miller, Blake Treinen, and Edwin Díaz.

The Padres haven’t had a Rookie of the Year winner since Benito Santiago in 1987 and will have to wait at least one more season for a potential winner.

Skenes deserves credit. No rookie pitcher in the Live Ball Era made more starts (23) or posted a lower ERA (1.96) than he did. His 170 strikeouts set a new franchise rookie record. Among all pitchers with at least 130 innings, he led the National League in ERA, expected ERA (2.50), strikeouts per nine innings (11.5), WHIP (0.95), and strikeout rate minus walk rate (26.8 percent).

The right-hander is also a National League Cy Young finalist which also added to his case for Rookie of the Year.

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