The National League Rookie of the Year award is a tight race. Padres outfielder Jackson Merrill and Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes enter the final month as the two contenders for the award. While Skenes has stolen the headlines, Merrill can sneak up and grab the award.
Merrill must use the playoff push to power past Skenes in the race. Can the Padres win enough games on the back of the rookie to not only grab the Rookie of the Year but also win the National League West?
Padres' Jackson Merrill dominates September to win NL ROY
For Jackson Merrill to win the National League Rookie of the Year, he must ride his hot streak into September. In 25 August games, Merrill is hitting .311 with seven home runs and 22 RBIs. A comparable month would put him over 25 home runs and 90 RBIs as a 21-year-old rookie. Not only would that be enough to win the Rookie of the Year, it would be a great season for the Padres to build on.
A fantastic September to lock the Padres into the playoffs would put Merrill at a significant advantage. The Pirates are well out of contention for the playoffs and will not be making high-leverage starts down the stretch. Merrill will be in some of the biggest games in the National League down the stretch. The Padres enter Friday's action five games back of the Dodgers in the NL West.
Great centerfield play could solidify Jackson Merrill's ROY candidacy
In addition to being a great hitter, Merrill has played a stellar centerfield. According to Baseball Savant, Merrill has accumulated six outs above average to rank 14th in the entire league. Considering he is just 21 years old and did not play center in the minor leagues, that is a remarkable season.
If he can continue that play in centerfield, he will win the Rookie of the Year. There are few positions more valuable to a team than centerfield and considering the Padres' excess of infielders, someone needed to move out there. If they have a centerfielder of the future who they thought was a middle infielder, they will continue to contend in the National League.
Can Jackson Merrill run his way to a Rookie of the Year?
Merrill is an excellent hitter and is turning into a great centerfielder at the major league level. He also has been stealing bases at a high level in his rookie season. He enters Friday's action with 16 stolen bases and only three times caught stealing on the season. While they are not elite-level numbers, he has laid the groundwork to become a true five-tool player.
There have only been 19 rookies to put up 20 steals and 20 homers in their first season, according to Statmuse. Merrill is on his way to become the 20th. Last year's National League Rookie of the Year, Corbin Carroll, clinched the award by doing the same thing. Merrill having a season comparable to Carroll on a team that looks like they could make a deep playoff run would put him in the driver's seat for the Rookie of the Year.
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