Long-term infielder/outfielder Whit Merrifield Announced retirement through his agency at Warner Sports Management.
“Hello, everyone,” said Merrifield, “you all should know I’m going to retire. When it comes to a while, it’s an easy decision. Many factors play a role in my decision. But, the main thing is the 6 pound 6 pound gift, my wife and I got my blessing in March 2024. At this point in life, I’d rather chase a kid than chase the slider.” He continued to thank the various clubs he played for and their fans while acknowledging those who believed him.
As Merrifield suggests in his remarks, he is known for his weird grinders, rather than the most natural talented athlete. However, he is still able to get an impressive career in the major leagues.
Merrifield, the 2010 ninth round Royals draft pick, never really became a minor league for prospect evaluators. Anyway, he climbed up the ladder and impressed the royal family in various ways. He can bounce diamonds on defense. On the offense, he didn’t have a lot of power or walk a lot, but he didn’t strike and once he got on the field, he could steal a lot of bases.
He was called to the Grand Slam at the age of 27 in May 2016, much bigger than when most players made their debut. At the time, Jeffrey Flanagan of MLB.com tweeted that many in the organization saw Merrifield as the ideal person for the final place on the roster. In other words, a practical person.
His use in that 2016 season reflects that. He was selected as a minor and recalled several times, eventually entering 81 major league games and participating in 332 sets. He only hit two home runs but didn’t walk much but produced .283/.323/.392 hit line and 91 WRC+. He stole eight bases and played three non-shortened infield positions and outfield corners.
In 2017, he showed that he had the ability to be a simple person. That year, he broke out 19 home runs on the plate, helping him produce the .288/.324/.460 line and 105 WRC+. He also brushed 34 bags and effectively took over the club’s daily second baseman while still occasionally moving elsewhere.
It can be said that he was the best season of his career in 2018. His home run total dropped to 12, but his walking rate nearly doubled compared to last year, jumping from 4.6% to 8.6%. A .352 hit average in the game also helped him, resulting in .304/.367/.438 lines and 119 WRC+, with 45 stolen bases starting. Fangraphs attributed his 5.0 win to the best win of his career.
Entering 2019, royals and Merrifield agreed to an extension. The deal guaranteed him $16.25mm in four years and chose the club within the fifth year. This total looks uncomfortable compared to some recent deals, but it is a product of his late identity. Since he didn’t make his debut until he was 27, he was not eligible for arbitration until he was 30, and he didn’t plan to play in free agents until he was 33. The deal may have sacrificed future upside potential, but it allows him to guarantee his life-changing money before planning.
His performance remained steady over the next few years. With the 2019 and 2020 seasons shortened, he cut .297/.342/.456 with 109 WRC+ while stealing 32 bases, and emerged Nicky Lopez Touch him spends more time in the outfield and less at second base. He was selected for the first time as the All-Star team in the 2019 campaign, the first of three honors he will eventually receive.
His offense dropped slightly in 2021 as his .277/.317/.395 line translated to 89 WRC+, although he still stole 40 bases. By 2022, when the royal family approaches, his time is over. This is the last year to be extended. He also entered the 33-year-old season. The royal family has been rebuilt throughout the era and rejected many trade calls, but given his age and contractual status, the windows appear to be closing.
He has been sticking with the royal family at the beginning of the 2022 season. He and the club agreed to a re-established contract that preemptively triggered his 2023 club option and transferred some salary commitments to the ongoing 2022 campaign. The royals were still struggling in the reconstruction and ended up ending the year with a record of 65-97, so the trade talk was that summer.
Merrifield was eventually replaced by the Blue Jays for minor leagues Max Castillo and Samad Taylor. It was a surprising landing site at the time. As travel restrictions on the 19th pandemic remained appropriate, ten Royals players were unable to cross the border and play in Toronto due to unvaccination. Merrifield was one of them, which raised questions about how he could play for Jays, but he eventually agreed to accept the poke.
Although his production at the trade was a bit boring, he hit .281/.323/.446 in the 120 wrc+ match. He helped the Blue Jays win wildcard positions, which allowed him to appear in the playoffs for the first time in his career. However, Jays was swept away the wildcards and beat the Mariners 2-0. He kept in touch with Jays in 2023 and stole another 23 bases, with an offense below the league average. Jays grabbed another wildcard spot, but was swept away by the twins again.
In his career, he finally arrived at free agents for the first time before his 35-year-old season and received an 8mm guarantee from the Phillies on a one-year contract. When he hit .199/.277/.295 and was released in July, it was not really eliminated. “Philadelphia, I like you more than you like me,” he said in his statement today. “I’m sorry, I stunk for you.”
Then, he signed with Atlanta, which was a thrill for him. In today’s statement, he described them as his “childhood team” growing up in Carolina. He performed well in 42 games in Atlanta and received the club’s wild card roster, but did not show up as the club was swept by Padres.
Merrifield is a free agent this winter and there are no rumors. In hindsight, it seems that it is because he has no intention of participating in the competition this year. He played 4,866 games in 1,147 games and he stumbled. He hit 1,249 hits, scored 632, drove with 485 and stole 218 bases. Fangraphs attributed his career with a 19.8 victory, with baseball references for him 17.9. BR also earns his career more than 35mm. Although he couldn’t get into the major until after his 27th birthday, he managed to do all of this.
Our MLB Trade rumors pay tribute to Merrifield and wish him all the best for the rest.
Photo courtesy of Ron Chenoy, Wendell Cruz and Isaiah J. Downing
