Many of baseball’s young stars are preparing to leave their teams to play in the WBC next month, but outfielder Jackson Merrill of the San Diego Padres won’t be among rhem. Merrill definitely has his head on straight about the decision, and according to Dennis Lin of The Athletic, he didn’t want to discuss any conversations he had with Team USA officials, saying that his priority “is being here.”
“Here” is Padres camp, and there’s a specific reason Merrill has elected to skip the international tournament.
“But for me personally, this year is probably not a good year to go and do it,” Merrill added. “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.”
That leadership ability is something that’s recognized by new Padres manager Craig Stammen, who was at the end of his career as a reliever when he saw Merrill leading a group of Low-A players running a workout at Lake Elsinore.
“You just knew he commanded, and everybody looked up to him. He was the best player but also, like, the best teammate. And I’ll never forget that. You could tell a person like that with that personality is destined to do some big things.”
The Padres need Merrill to step and do those things this season. This will be his third season, and Merrill is coming off an injury-filled season. Like third baseman Manny Machado and shortstop Xander Bogaerts, he has a lucrative long-term extension, but given their inevitable declining performance it’s imperative that Merrill stay healthy and become that third star San Diego needs.
“I definitely feel more comfortable kind of being out there and being like, ‘Hey, let’s get together. Let’s do this.’ Just knowing that some teammates have my back, and that leads more people to come in. It’s all a trickle-down effect.”
The Padres are also hoping to avoid the trickle-down effect of the WBC that affected the team in 2023. Multiple players left camp that year to play in the WBC, and what happened after that was something Lin called “the most disappointing campaign in club history.”
Stammen talked about the letdown this week. Machado compared it to “coming down from Mount Everest,” so it’s going to be up to players like Merrill, pitchers Nick Pivetta and Joe Musgrove, and outfielder/first baseman Gavin Sheets to provide leadership. Merrill is just 22, but Musgrove in particular thinks he’s ready for the role.
“As a 22-year-old, it’s hard to come into a locker room full of men that have been around for 10-plus years and feel like you can take that role on,” Musgrove said. “I think he does it really good by example, leads by example. I think there’s more in there for him to be more of the vocal leader and speak his mind more.
“That true leadership comfortability … I’m sure is coming.”