SS MERRILL HEADS NON-ROSTER INVITEES
With so many regulars headed to the World Baseball Classic this spring, there’s no better time for the Padres’ coaching staff to begin to familiarize itself with top prospect Jackson Merrill.
The 19-year-old shortstop highlights 30 non-roster players invited to spring training, many of them hailing from the Padres’ farm system like Merrill. Beyond the official spring training roster, the Padres also plan to draw from their players in minor league camp to fill various spots throughout spring training.
Merrill’s opportunity in particular could prove especially invaluable as three-fourths of the infield — Manny Machado, Xander Bogaerts and HaSeong Kim — will be away from the team this spring.
“We’ll probably be using some guys in development in the minor leagues more, which is a good thing for them,” Padres manager Bob Melvin said over the weekend at FanFest. “(That) gives them an opportunity for the big-league staff to see them. We have quite a few guys, whether it’s pitchers or on the position-player end, that are going to be in the WBC. We’re not exactly sure how long they’ll be gone, but it also gives some kids in the minor leagues an opportunity to play some big-league spring training games.”
The Padres’ first-round pick in 2021, Merrill weathered wrist and leg injuries to pair six homers and 11 steals with a .339/ .395/.511 batting line across 55 games split between low Single-A Lake Elsinore and his rehab assignment in the rookielevel Arizona Complex League. Merrill did not embarrass himself at all as a rare teenager in the prestigious Arizona Fall League (1 HR, .669 OPS) and is ranked No. 19 on MLB.com’s top-100 prospects list.
Non-roster prospects ranked among MLB.com’s most recent top-30 organizational rankings invited to big-league camp include outfielder Tirso Ornelas (18), right-hander Efrain Contreras (26) and reliever Moises Lugo (29).
Other notable minor leaguers beginning spring training in front of Melvin’s staff include right-handers Matt Waldron and Anderson Espinoza, a former top prospect back with the organization after making his MLB debut last year with the Chicago Cubs, left-handers Daniel Camarena and Aaron Leasher, catchers Chandler Seagle and Juan Fernandez and outfielders Taylor Kohlwey and Luis Liberato.
Players with big-league experience are also coming to camp with the Padres, headlined by reliever Craig Stammen, who returns to the organization on a minor league deal. Others include right-handers Julio Teheran and Wilmer Font, catcher Pedro Severino, infielder Alfonso Rivas and outfielders David Dahl and Preston Tucker.