The San Diego Padres opted to lock their All-Star outfielder Jackson Merrill to a contract extension sooner rather than later. The franchise announced that Merrill inked a nine-year deal that ties him to San Diego through at least the 2034 MLB season.
The Padres confirmed the agreement, which also comes with a club option for 2035, on their social media without revealing the financial terms.
According to reports, Merrill’s extension, which kicks off in 2026, has a base value of $135 million. He can also earn more money through various incentives with the contract maxing out at $204 million.
This is far less than analysts predicted for Merrill based on his performance in the majors so far, but he appears to be content.
“An opportunity to sign with the San Diego Padres is enough for me. But I also feel like there comes a line where you know your worth, you know your value,” Merrill said ahead of Wednesday’s game against the Cleveland Guardians. “Listen, I know there are contracts out there that are beyond absurd, there’s super amounts of money. But having a relationship with a real human being and a real team like I have here, you can’t beat that.”
Merrill, who was selected 27th overall in the 2021 MLB Draft, receives the extension following an outstanding rookie season in 2024. He batted .292 with 24 home runs, 90 RBIs, and 16 stolen bases to earn an All-Star nod and finish second place in NL Rookie of the Year voting.
Merrill also started strong in 2025, having a .400 batting average with one homer and six RBIs through the first six games of the campaign.
