The San Diego Padres added Graham Pauley and Jackson Merrill to their Major League Baseball roster in time for their season opener against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Seoul, South Korea.
While Merrill is mainly a shortstop, he will fill the Padres’ outfield opening. However, he has been playing as center fielder during Spring Training, a position he never played before the 2024 offseason. He did well in securing the role despite limited experience. He is also unfazed by big-time baseball because of her 211 plate appearances above Single-A baseball.
The Padres selected Merrill with the 27th overall pick in the 2021 Amateur Draft. Aside from his impressive fielding skills in a new position, he makes excellent contact on the bat. His speed could make him a leadoff hitter, but he might start at the bottom of the batting order.
Jackson Merrill is fired up
— Padres Nation (@NationPadres) March 20, 2024
You should be too
It all starts now
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Meanwhile, Pauley has 88 plate appearances above Single-A baseball. He could be a utility player who could spend time as a designated hitter and at third base because Manny Machado is still recovering from his elbow surgery last October.
Though the Padres are in South Korea, they excluded reliever Woo-Suk Go from their Opening Day roster. They optioned him to Triple-A El Paso after showing inconsistency during Spring Training.
-Lance Fernandez