Caden Merritt is an outfielder and right-handed pitcher, and he signed a deal with the Atlanta Braves after the MLB Draft on July 15, according to his Instagram account.
Merritt is represented by Roc Nation, a sports and entertainment agency owned by Jay Z.
Merritt, 18, was a two-way star at Gainesville High School in Virginia. He was just named the Virginia State Player of the Year on July 14, and played with the Fredrick Keys for the first half of the MLB Draft League season. Merritt didn’t have much turnaround time after he helped deliver a Class 6 state championship to Gainesville. A day later, he was on his way to the MLB Draft League in Maryland.
Merritt wanted to continue working to give scouts a better look at his abilities before the MLB Draft. He didn’t pitch in the MLB Draft League, but he does want to remain a two-way player as long as possible. On the mound, Merritt struck out 46 batters as a freshman in 31 innings with a 2.03 ERA.
Merritt is also a right-handed hitter who is 6-foot-1 and 195 pounds. He worked out for several teams before the draft, including the Baltimore Orioles and Chicago Cubs. Merritt was also committed to Coastal Carolina, which had just lost in the College World Series final to LSU.
In his school, Merritt excelled at pitching and hitting. This past season, he was the best hitter on the team, leading them with six home runs, 27 RBIs, 38 runs scored, a .421 batting average, .587 on-base percentage, and a slugging percentage of .763. The most impressive accomplishment was leading the state of Virginia with 30 stolen bases.
Merritt is a speedy center fielder, and he showed his skills at the MLB Draft League All-Star Game against the Cape Cod Baseball League at Citi Field, making a diving catch coming in on a blooper.
“I went from a high school field to Citi Field. It’s a big deal to me and I’m just enjoying it”, Merritt told World Baseball Network at the MLB Draft League All-Star Game on June 30.
Meritt is on a path that has become more popular lately. He drew inspiration from several great two-way players in baseball.
“I watched a lot of Jac Caglianone in college, and Ohtani is one of a kind,” Merritt said. He views himself as a better hitter, but still wants to keep his pitching arsenal fresh.
“I’m only 18 and could be an arm one day. I’m just going to keep doing both as long as I can,” Merritt said.
He expanded upon what led him down the path to pursue a career in hitting and pitching.
“Just being an athlete, and I enjoy being on the mound. I love baseball and swinging the bat,” Merritt said. “I’ve been doing both, just playing the whole game since I was little, and I’m fortunate to still have the ability to do it.”
