Jackson Merrill, Pete Crow-Armstrong left out by Mariners All-Star in favor of Twins icon for best defensive CF pick

San Diego Padres All-Star Jackson Merrill and the Chicago Cubs' Pete Crow-Armstrong are two of the best outfielders in the MLB. However, an MLB analyst picked a Minnesota Twins veteran over the two rising stars.

In a clip shared by MLB Network on X, analysts discussed the best defensive outfielder in the league currently. MLB Tonight host Greg Amsinger shared the candidates for the award.

Cubs' Pete Crow-Armstrong was the first candidate, followed by Jackson Merrill. The candidates also included Colorado Rockies' Brenton Doyle, former Rookie of the Year Michael Harris II, and veteran Twins centerfielder Bryon Buxton.

Although Buxton was the last name of the list, he was former Mariners All-Star Harold Reynolds' pick over all the other candidates.

"I'm sorry, but that's my guy. As long as Buxton's healthy and playing in center field there's nobody better," Reynolds said.

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Buxton is a Gold Glove-winning centerfielder for the Twins, and the only other outfielder with a Gold Glove in their position on the list was Rockies centerfielder, Brenton Doyle, winning the award in the last two seasons.

While PCA and Merrill are two of the brightest outfielders in the league, they still have some way to go in their defensive journey to compete with some of the other top defensive names.

Pete Crow-Armstrong continues hot start, Jackson Merrill slated for return in May

Pete Crow-Armstrong has been on a tear on the plate for the Cubs this season. His three-run home run in the series finale against his hometown team, Los Angeles Dodgers, in a thrilling win this week showcased his hitting prowess.

The 23-year-old outfielder, who made his MLB debut for the Cubs in 2023, is amidst a breakthrough season this year. He is hitting .284 with five home runs and 18 RBIs.

Meanwhile, Padres outfielder Jackson Merrill is recovering from a hamstring injury. The All-Star slugger was placed on the injured list earlier this month and is expected to return next month. Last year's NL Rookie of the Year runner-up was batting .378 with three home runs and 10 RBIs before his injury.

About the author

Chaitanya Prakash is an editor who covers US Sports at Sportskeeda. His first brush with sportswriting was in 2012 when the greatest football manager of all time, Sir Alex Ferguson, bid farewell to the beautiful game.

Although having started out professionally as a cricket writer in 2022, Chaitanya's curiosity and indiscriminate interest in all sports in general eventually introduced him to America's favorite pastime.

While Chaitanya's favorite player from the current crop is the dynamic Venezuelan Ronald Acuna Jr., his all-time favorite, however, is Pedro Martinez, for his self-belief and consistency. He also rates Jose Bautista's iconic bat flip in 2015 as his favorite moment in baseball history.

Chaitanya specializes in reporting on technical aspects of the game or analyzing patterns behind specific plays. He also likes pondering over players' self-assessments following the conclusion of a game as it helps him get an idea of how they think about the sport in general.

When not cheering for his favorites across sports, Chaitanya likes being transported to the past through a good war documentary or a historical documentary in general.

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Edited by Chaitanya Prakash