Despite a depleted farm system, one young outfielder shines as the Padres' premier homegrown talent, proving his worth with power and a massive extension.
The San Diego Padres are in a tricky situation financially this offseason, making the importance of homegrown talent even more emphasized. Unfortunately, the Padres don’t have much of it, as they’re instead known for trading away their top prospects in exchange for proven MLB guys.
In a ranking from the middle of last season, the Padres’ farm system ranked dead last in the league. It came after another aggressive deadline from general manager A.J. Preller, who traded away the club’s top prospect Leo De Vries. Now, the depth of their top prospects list is a concerning issue as they look to retool their roster in hopes of a deep postseason push in 2026.
While they may not have tons of homegrown talent currently in the system, that doesn’t mean they don't have any at the major league level. In his recent article selecting each team’s best homegrown player, Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter selected outfielder Jackson Merrill for the Padres.
At 22 years old, Merrill played his second season in the majors in San Diego in 2025. In 115 games, he finished with 16 home runs, 67 RBIs, and a slash line of .264/.317/.457 with a .774 OPS. It was enough for a 2.7 WAR season, but it was a noticeable decline from his rookie season.
In 2024, Merrill put his name on the map with a season in which he won a Silver Slugger and finished second in Rookie of the Year and ninth in MVP voting. It was enough to land him a nine-year, $135 million contract to keep him in San Diego for the foreseeable future.
The Padres selected Merrill with the 27th pick in the first round of the 2021 MLB Draft. After a few years in the minors, Merrill took his opportunity in the majors and ran with it. Pegged as one of the best pure hitters during his time within the Padres’ system, Merrill has backed up that label two seasons into his major league career.
As much of the talent to come from the Padres system has been shipped out of town over recent years, the front office was never willing to part ways with Merrill. Evident by his massive extension at just 22 years old, there’s no doubt that Merrill is the best homegrown player on San Diego’s roster heading into 2026.