The parallels between Jackson Merrill and James Wood are hard to ignore - and for good reason. Both are smooth-swinging, left-handed hitters who came up as top prospects out of Maryland.
Both were drafted by the Padres in 2021 - Merrill in the first round, Wood in the second - and both were once viewed as cornerstones of San Diego’s outfield of the future. But in baseball, futures can shift fast.
Just a year after drafting Wood, San Diego sent him to Washington in the blockbuster deal that brought Juan Soto to the West Coast. That trade reshaped the Padres’ trajectory - not just in terms of roster construction, but also in how they viewed their outfield.
Fernando Tatis Jr. eventually made the full-time move to the outfield, a transition that’s worked out well. Still, Wood’s departure left a void - and now, after his breakout 2025 season, it’s a name Padres fans can’t help but revisit.
Wood’s 2025 campaign was nothing short of electric. The 23-year-old mashed 31 home runs, drove in 94 runs, and racked up 38 doubles en route to his first All-Star selection.
His 132 OPS+ underscored just how impactful he was at the plate - not just a power bat, but a consistent offensive force. He didn’t just arrive - he announced himself.
Meanwhile, Merrill, now 22, followed up his impressive rookie season in 2024 with a solid, if slightly quieter, sophomore campaign. Injuries interrupted his rhythm in 2025, but he still managed to post a 112 OPS+ with 47 extra-base hits in 115 games.
And when the lights got brighter in October, Merrill showed up. In the Padres’ three-game Wild Card series against the Cubs - a tough stretch where San Diego managed just five total runs - Merrill scored two of them and drove in two more.
It wasn’t enough to push the Padres through, but it was a glimpse of Merrill’s clutch potential on the postseason stage.
Now, with MLB Network sparking the debate - Merrill or Wood? - fans are left to weigh two young stars who’ve taken different paths but remain linked by their shared beginnings. For Padres fans, it’s a tough one.
Wood’s ceiling looks sky-high, and watching him blossom in another uniform stings. But Merrill is still very much a foundational piece in San Diego - a player with the tools, the poise, and the drive to be a long-term anchor.
There may not be a clear “winner” in this comparison - and that’s kind of the point. Both players are thriving, just in different places.
For the Padres, losing Wood hurts. But having Merrill still in the fold?
That’s a pretty good consolation prize - and potentially a franchise-defining one.