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Jackson Merrill has been hot at the plate all season for the San Diego Padres. He is expected to be the top contender for the National League Rookie of the Year. While he keeps churning the numbers, an analysis of his movement at the plate revealed a style similar to that of Dodgers superstar Freddie Freeman.
On MLB Network's Off Base show, analyst Xavier Scruggs dissected Merrill's approach at the plate. Scruggs mentioned that the rookie likes to use the entire plate.
"He's [Jackson Merrill] almost got a little bit of Freddie Freeman in him. He will sink down before the pitch even gets delivered. Watch him sink the body right there. So, what that does is create that power and force coming from the ground, and it stays in the back hip. ... Most of that power, most of that juice can coil up back up here," Scruggs said.
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Merrill's contributions to the Padres' fortunes cannot be only contained in the statistics. The rookie's ability to come big in clutch moments has won them crucial games. As per MLB, Merrill is just the second player after Frank Robinson to have eight or more walk-off hits in the eighth innings or later at 21 years of age.
Jackson Merrill ranked second for NL ROTY as per latest poll
Despite batting at .292 with 75 RBIs, including 19 home runs, Jackson Merrill isn't yet the frontrunner to take the National League Rookie of the Year award. He has and will continue to face stiff competition from Pittsburgh Pirates' Paul Skenes, who is 8-2 with a 2.23 ERA from 109.0 innings.
The one thing that can work in Merrill's favor is that he has played more games than Skenes. The Pirates rookie was only bumped up to the MLB in May. He may not even qualify for the pitcher's awards, as every starter needs to pitch at least 162.0 innings to qualify. Moreover, the Padres are in a much better spot than the Pirates on the table, and Merrill's performances in September can turn the tide.
