Padres extend Merrill on 9-year deal reportedly worth $135M

The San Diego Padres locked up Jackson Merrill for the long run.

The Padres and the 21-year-old All-Star outfielder agreed to a nine-year extension that begins in 2026 and includes a 2035 club option, the team announced Wednesday.

"I couldn’t be more grateful," Merrill said, according to MLB.com's AJ Cassavell. "I’m just looking forward to keeping it going for the next nine years. This is exactly where I want to be."

The contract is worth $135 million in guaranteed money but can reach $204 million, sources told Robert Murray of FanSided, who adds the $30-million club option for a 10th season can be converted to a player option.

Merrill can modify the 2035 option with a top-five finish in MVP voting in any campaign, reports Jon Heyman of MLB Network.

Performance escalators can also take the pact to $165 million with 500 plate appearances in each season throughout the contract, according to Murray.

The extension doesn't include any opt-out clauses, per Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune.

Merrill, who wouldn't have been arbitration-eligible until 2027, recorded 24 homers, 90 RBIs and 16 stolen bases with an .826 OPS and 5.3 fWAR over 156 games last year. He finished as the 2024 NL Rookie of the Year runner-up and placed ninth in NL MVP voting.

The young star's strong play has continued in 2025, as he's slashing .400/.435/.600 with one long ball and a team-leading six RBIs through the Padres' 6-0 start.

San Diego selected Merrill with the No. 27 pick in the 2021 draft before he rocketed up the club's organizational rankings to become a top prospect.