Rookie batting fifth for third time, above sixth for the first time since July 4 in Saturday’s game against Giants

Less than two years later, the San Diego Padres made Jackson Merrill the highest-drafted player out of the state of Maryland in almost two decades. But, now, even Palacios finds himself marveling at how Merrill is already living up to the loftiest projections.

Jackson Merrill was hitless in his previous game (0-for-4), but will take another crack at it when the San Diego Padres face Bryan Woo and the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday at 9:40 PM ET on