Jackson Merrill's girlfriend Sammie Quinn highlights Padres star's Rookie of the Year finalist nod, joining Jackson Chourio and Paul Skenes

Jackson Merrill, the young San Diego Padres outfielder, was confirmed as one of the three finalists for the National League Rookie of the Year on Monday. It is the latest announcement in the line of MLB Awards for the 2024 season, and the results will be declared this Thursday.

Sammie Quinn, the girlfriend of Jackson Merrill, shared the news with an update on her Instagram profile. It was an image of Merrill with a scenic seaside sunset as the backdrop, while his signature was inscribed on the sand. The picture also mentions him as an NL Rookie of the Year finalist.

The post shared by Sammie Quinn on her Instagram story (Photo Credit: Instagram)

Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes and Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Jackson Chouriou are the other candidates challenging Jackson Merrill for the award. However, Chourio may finish in a distant third spot in this race despite having a superb season, with Merrill and Skenes widely considered the frontrunners.

Paul Skenes came up to major leagues with tremendous hype and has managed to live up to every inch of it. The No. 1 pick from the 2023 MLB Draft made 23 starts this season and finished with an 11-3 record and a 1.96 ERA. He also averaged 11.5 strikeouts per nine innings along with a 0.947 WHIP.

Meanwhile, Skenes also racked up 5.9 WAR for the season, which was the most among the Pirates this year, and he ranks fourth among all pitchers in the MLB. Merrill also led his team with 4.4 WAR, while Chourio posted 3.8 WAR, which puts him in last place among this trio.

Jackson Merrill and girlfriend attend NBA game in Arizona

Jackson Merrill and his girlfriend Sammie Quinn attend the Suns vs. Lakers game in Arizona (Photo Credit: (Jackson Merrill/Instagram)

Jackson Merrill and his girlfriend Sammie Quinn were spotted at an NBA game at the Footprint Center in Arizona when the Phoenix Suns hosted the Los Angeles Lakers on October 28. The pair had also shared pictures of their evening together on social media.

The Suns beat the Lakers 109-105 on the night. Merrill and the San Diego Padres had lost to another LA team, the Los Angeles Dodgers, in the NL Division Series.

Merrill had made his MLB debut back in March during the season opener against the Dodgers in Seoul, South Korea. The 21-year-old centerfielder then quickly established himself as a core member of the Padres lineup with his solid hitting and tidy glovework.

Besides being named an All-Star, he batted .292/.326/.500 during the regular season with 24 home runs, 90 RBIs, and 16 stolen bases.