Jackson
Merrill

Preseason All-State Session III

Positional Profile: SS/3B
Body: 6’1”, 165 pounds. Athletic, lanky, projectable frame. 
Hit: RHH. Hits from a relaxed, balanced, open stance from the left side. Smooth back load and stride with good hand separation. Short to the ball with a slightly uphill swing path. Showed quick hands and fast bat speed through the zone. Strong lower half involvement and stays behind the ball very well with excellent balance. Effortless swing with great extension past contact and a one-handed finish. Gap-to-gap line drive approach. 
Power: 92 mph exit velocity from the tee. Gap-to-gap with power present to the pull side and more projected as he continues to fill out. 
Arm: LH. INF  - 86 mph. Throws with long arm action from a high three-quarter slot. 
Defense: Plays loose with active feet and gets around the ball working through it to the bag. Fields the ball out in front from an athletic base. Moves well with plus range side-to-side. Clean exchanges, smooth double play feeds and throws with accuracy from a variety of arm slots depending on the type of play. 
Run: 4.07 home-to-first time.

MD Top Prospect Games East

Athletic, lean body type and 6’0’’, 150 pound frame. Hits from a balanced, slightly open stance from the left side. Smooth back load with a small knee-to-knee leg kick. Creates some hand separation and attacks the ball with intent. Explosive lower half involvement with a short, slightly uphill swing path. Quicks hands and creates fast bat speed through the zone. Stays behind the ball well with good extension and a strong finish. Gap-to-gap line drive type hitter with some pop. Uses the whole field very well and recorded an exit velocity of 83 mph. Athletic and rangy in the infield. Plays with good rhythm and active feet. Surrounds the ball and works through it to first base. Throws with longer arm action from a low three-quarters slot at 80 mph across the diamond. Smooth, clean transfers on double play feeds and slow rollers. Ran a 7.20 60-yard time.

Super athletic body type and 5-foot-11, 150 pound frame with plenty of room to fill out. Merrill got off to a blazing start at the plate on Friday afternoon against Centennial and followed it up with a 3-for-4 day against St. Mary's. The lefty hits from a balanced, athletic, open stance at the plate with a quick medium-sized leg kick load. He creates nice hand separation and showed excellent balance throughout. Short, compact swing and fast hands. Uses the entire field extremely well and stayed gap-to-gap. Great feel for the barrel and showed some speed on the base paths as well swiping a few bags over the course of the two days we saw him. Smooth, clean actions at shortstop making every play with rhythm  and confidence. 

MD Preseason All State

Athletic thin frame at 5-foot-11, 148-pounds. Hits from the left side starting in an athletic square stance with a small knee to knee lift to striding in and landing closed. Hands load back to a strong hitting position. Short path to the ball and a level swing with line drive tendencies. Barrel stayed on through contact and did a nice job using the middle of the field. Exit velocity was 81 mph. Works outside the ball and laterally on approach to ground balls in the infield. Fields it a little higher with a clean exchange. Average arm circle and showed some arm speed throwing from a low three-quarters slot at 79 mph. Ran a 4.40 home-to-first time.