Players celebrate A.J. Preller's extended tenure, praising his passion and unique leadership as they eye a World Series run.
After a busy holiday weekend, San Diego Padres general manager and president of baseball operations A.J. Preller signed a multi-year extension with the Padres. Preller was heading into his final year under contract in San Diego, but he has more than earned a deal that will keep him in town for the foreseeable future.
With spring training getting underway for the Padres in Arizona, news of the extension traveled throughout the clubhouse in real time, with several players congratulating Preller on his new deal.
Center fielder Jackson Merrill was drafted by Preller and the Padres in the first round of the 2021 Draft. After his stellar 2024 rookie campaign, in which he hit 24 home runs and put up 4.4 WAR, Merrill was given a nine-year, $135 million extension by Preller.
“Super good human being,” Merrill said in a raw reaction to the news. “Nice to have his face back in here for a while.”
Merrill was just one of several Padres to react positively to the news, with right-handed pitcher Joe Musgrove also chiming in on the news.
“Until you get in the room and work with him and see the passion and dedication and the commitment and the things he’s able to do with the budget he gets on a yearly basis – it’s the guy any player would want calling the shots for them,” Musgrove reacted to the news.
Preller traded for Musgrove as part of a three-team deal back before the 2021 season. He has since been one of San Diego’s most prolific starters.
Right-hander Michael King also signed an extension with the Padres this offseason, and he wasn't shy to say that Preller’s presence in San Diego was a main reason why he returned for 2026.
“Very happy,” King said after hearing news of Preller’s extension. “Preller was the main reason I came back here.”
Even a new signee, outfielder Nick Castellanos, was happy to hear the news.
“He seems like an unorthodox thinker,” he said. “He asks questions that provoke a player’s emotions to see how somebody’s feeling about certain topics that he may be thinking about. So, I do believe there’s a method to his madness. I really hope that he can win a World Series.”
Padres star Fernando Tatis Jr. also reposted the news of Preller’s extension on his Instagram story on Monday, with the son of franchise legend Tony Gwynn, Tony Gwynn Jr., also doing the same.
It’s clear that Preller is beloved in San Diego, and much of their success is directly tied to him and his winning-first mentality. Padres fans will be happy to host Preller for several more seasons.