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Whit Merrifield
Whit Merrifield
Whit Merrifield
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Whitley David Merrifield (born January 24, 1989) is an American former professional baseball second baseman and outfielder who played nine seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Kansas City Royals, Toronto Blue Jays, Philadelphia Phillies, and Atlanta Braves. Merrifield was a three-time All-Star and led the American League in stolen bases three times.

Key Information

Amateur career

[edit]

Merrifield graduated from Davie County High School in Mocksville, North Carolina. He enrolled at the University of South Carolina and played college baseball for the South Carolina Gamecocks from 2008 to 2010. In 2008, he played collegiate summer baseball for the Yarmouth–Dennis Red Sox of the Cape Cod Baseball League, and in 2009 returned to the league to play with the Chatham Anglers.[1][2][3] In the second game of the championship series at the 2010 College World Series, Merrifield hit a game-winning RBI single in the bottom of the 11th inning to give South Carolina the championship.[4][5] In his three years at South Carolina, he played in 195 games and hit .329/.389/.489 with 27 home runs.[citation needed] In 2010, he set a Gamecocks record with a 26-game hitting streak.[6]

Professional career

[edit]

Kansas City Royals

[edit]

The Kansas City Royals selected Merrifield in the ninth round of the 2010 Major League Baseball draft.[7] He signed with the Royals and made his professional debut that season with the Burlington Bees.[8][9] In 47 games he hit .253/.317/.409 with five home runs and 26 RBIs. In 2011, Merrifield played for the Wilmington Blue Rocks where he batted .262 with five home runs and 36 RBIS. In 2012, with both Wilmington and the Northwest Arkansas Naturals, he compiled a .258 batting average with nine home runs and 44 RBIs in 125 games between both teams. He spent 2013 with Northwest Arkansas where he batted .270/.319/.391 with three home runs and 43 RBIs in 94 games.[10]

Merrifield batting for the Omaha Storm Chasers in 2015

Merrifield returned to Northwest Arkansas to start 2014 and was promoted to the Omaha Storm Chasers during the season.[11] In 120 games between the two clubs, he slashed .319/.371/.470 with eight home runs and 49 RBIs. In 2015, Merrifield played for Omaha where he posted a .265 batting average with five home runs and 38 RBIs in 135 games.[10] He returned to Omaha to start the 2016 season.

Merrifield made his major league debut with the Kansas City Royals on May 18, 2016, instantly batting in the top third of the lineup and soon taking the starting second baseman job from Omar Infante.[12] His first Major League hit came off of David Price.[13] On June 13, Merrifield hit both his first major league triple and home run against the Cleveland Indians. In early July 2016, a song and video tribute to Merrifield titled "Cool Whit" received coverage on local Kansas City radio and TV news.[14] He was optioned back to Omaha in July and recalled in September. In 69 games for Omaha he batted .266 with eight home runs and 29 RBIs, and in 81 games for Kansas City he compiled a .283 batting average with two home runs, 29 RBIs, and 22 doubles.[15]

Merrifield began the 2017 season with Omaha, but was recalled in April after nine games and spent the remainder of the season with Kansas City. With the Royals, he hit .288 in 145 games with 19 home runs and 78 RBIs. He also led the American League with 34 stolen bases, the fewest total for a league leader since Luis Aparicio led the AL with 31 in 1962.[16] In 2018, Merrifield hit .304/.367/.438 and led the majors in hits (192) and stolen bases (45).[17]

In 2019, Merrifield batted .302/.348/.463 and led the major leagues in games (162), at bats (681), singles (139), triples (10), and line drive percentage (28.2%), while stealing 20 bases and leading the majors in caught stealing (10).[18][19]

Overall with the 2020 Kansas City Royals in the Covid-shortened season, Merrifield batted .282 with nine home runs and 30 RBIs in 60 games.[20]

In 2021, Merrifield hit .277/.317/.395 with 10 home runs and 74 RBIs. He tied for the MLB lead with 42 doubles, and led the American League with 40 steals. He also tied for the major league lead in sacrifice flies, with 12.[21] On defense, he led all major league second basemen with 283 putouts, 103 double plays and a 4.77 range factor. He won a Fielding Bible Award for his defensive excellence.[22] Merrifield played in a franchise-record 553 consecutive games for the Royals between June 2018 and July 2022.[23]

Toronto Blue Jays

[edit]

On August 2, 2022, Merrifield was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays for Max Castillo and Samad Taylor.[24] He was among ten Royals players who were in violation of Canada's COVID-19 vaccination requirement and unable to travel to Toronto for a four-game weekend series right before the All-Star break two weeks earlier in July.[25] On August 4, 2022, Merrifield announced that he was now vaccinated and would be able to play in the team's first game in Toronto since being acquired.[26]

In 2022 he batted .250/.298/.375 in 550 plate appearances, and was the only qualified batter in the major leagues who was not hit by a pitch all year.[27] He became a free agent following the 2023 season.

Philadelphia Phillies

[edit]

On February 19, 2024, Merrifield signed a one-year, $8 million contract with the Philadelphia Phillies.[28] In 53 games with the team, Merrifield struggled offensively, batting .199/.277/.295. He was released by the Phillies on July 12.[29]

Atlanta Braves

[edit]

On July 22, 2024, Merrifield signed a major league contract with the Atlanta Braves.[30] On September 7, Merrifield was diagnosed with a fractured left foot, and was sidelined for a short amount of time but not placed on the injured list.[31] In 42 appearances for Atlanta, he batted .248/.348/.336 with one home run, four RBI, and six stolen bases.

On June 24, 2025, Merrifield announced his retirement from professional baseball via social media.[32]

International career

[edit]

On September 10, 2018, he was selected by the MLB All-Stars at 2018 MLB Japan All-Star Series.[33]

Personal life

[edit]

Merrifield married his wife, Jordan Michael, on December 28, 2019.[34]

Merrifield's father, Bill, played college baseball for Wake Forest University,[35] and spent six seasons in Minor League Baseball, primarily as a third baseman.[36] In September 1987, Bill Merrifield was briefly on the active roster of the Pittsburgh Pirates, but was sent to the Florida Instructional League without making an MLB appearance,[37] rendering him a phantom ballplayer.[38][39]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Whit Merrifield

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Whitley David Merrifield is an American former and who played nine seasons in (MLB) from 2016 to 2024. A versatile and speedy player known for his contact hitting and base-stealing ability, he was selected to three Games (2019, 2021, and 2023) and led the (AL) in stolen bases three times (2017 with 34, 2018 with 45, and 2021 with 40). Merrifield also topped the AL in hits twice (192 in 2018 and 206 in 2019) and became the third player since to lead MLB in both categories in the same season in 2018. Born on January 24, 1989, in , Merrifield attended the , where he played . He was selected by the in the ninth round (269th overall) of the 2010 MLB Draft and signed for a $100,000 bonus. After spending seven seasons in the minors, accumulating 725 games, Merrifield made his MLB debut with the Royals on May 18, 2016. Over his career, he batted .280 with 1,249 hits, 94 home runs, and 218 stolen bases across 1,147 games, posting a 17.9 Wins Above Replacement (WAR). Merrifield spent his first seven seasons with the Royals (2016–2022), earning the team's Player of the Year award in 2018 and the MLB Heart & Hustle Award in 2019, while also winning the at second base in 2021. He was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays midway through the 2022 season and played there through 2023 before signing as a with the Phillies in 2024, where he appeared in 53 games prior to being released by and then signing with the for the remainder of the year. On June 24, 2025, Merrifield announced his retirement from professional baseball.

Amateur career

High school career

Whit Merrifield was born on January 24, 1989, in , and grew up in Mocksville, . He attended Davie County High School in Mocksville, , where he graduated in 2007. During high school, Merrifield demonstrated versatility as an athlete, excelling in as a , , and football as a , earning letters in all three . In , he garnered three-time all-conference honors and two-time all-state selections in his junior and senior years, and was named conference player of the year as a senior. Merrifield posted strong offensive numbers, including a and 32 stolen bases in his senior season, highlighting his contact hitting and base-stealing speed. He contributed to the team's success by helping lead Davie County to the regional in 2007, where they advanced before falling to East Rowan. Influenced by his father, Bill Merrifield—a former All-State who played professionally in the minors—Whit focused on , forgoing potential football opportunities to pursue the sport at the collegiate level. This multi-sport foundation and family athletic heritage laid the groundwork for his transition to at the .

College career

Merrifield played for the Gamecocks from 2008 to 2010 under head coach . Over his three seasons, he appeared in 195 games, batting .329 with 27 home runs, 117 RBIs, and 38 stolen bases. As a in 2008, Merrifield started 62 games in center field, hitting .326 with three home runs and 26 RBIs while stealing 11 bases. In , his year, he improved to a .340 across 63 games, including 11 home runs and 49 RBIs with 15 stolen bases. In the summer of , Merrifield played for the in the , where he competed against elite prospects and batted .225 in 22 games. Merrifield's junior season in 2010 was his most productive, as he batted .321 with 13 home runs and 42 RBIs in 70 games, adding 12 stolen bases. Merrifield's standout performance came during the 2010 , where he was a key contributor for the Gamecocks en route to the . In the finals against UCLA, he delivered a game-winning RBI single in the bottom of the 11th inning of Game 2, securing a 2-1 victory and South Carolina's first NCAA title. Following the championship, the selected Merrifield in the ninth round (269th overall) of the 2010 MLB Draft. He signed with the team for a $100,000 bonus.

Professional career

Minor league career

Merrifield signed with the on July 15, 2010, after being selected in the ninth round of the MLB Draft out of the , and was initially assigned to the Rookie-level of the Pioneer League. He later appeared in 47 games for the Class A Burlington Royals of the that year, batting .253 with five home runs and five stolen bases. In 2011, Merrifield advanced to Wilmington in the , where he played 126 games and hit .262 with five home runs, 36 RBIs, and 24 stolen bases. He returned to Wilmington for most of 2012, batting .258 over 101 games with eight home runs and 25 stolen bases, before receiving a late-season promotion to Double-A in the , appearing in 24 games with a .260 average. The following year, , he spent the full season at Double-A with the Naturals, posting a .270 average in 94 games, including three home runs, 43 RBIs, and 17 stolen bases. Merrifield split 2014 between Double-A , where he hit .278 in 44 games, and a midseason promotion to Triple-A Omaha in the , batting .340 with three home runs and 11 stolen bases over 76 games; his breakout performance that year earned him the Royals' Minor League Player of the Year award. In 2015, he solidified his spot at Omaha with 135 , a .265 , five home runs, 38 RBIs, and a league-leading 32 stolen bases among regulars. Overall, from 2010 through 2015, Merrifield appeared in 647 games, compiling a .274 with 35 home runs, 246 RBIs, and 132 stolen bases across six seasons in the Royals' system. Prior to his major league debut, he had played in 716 games. Throughout his tenure, Merrifield navigated challenges including injuries that limited his playing time in some seasons and a positional shift from —his primary role in college—to second base and the outfield to enhance his utility and path to the majors. These adaptations, combined with his consistent contact skills and speed, positioned him for a call-up to the on May 18, 2016.

Kansas City Royals

Merrifield made his major league debut with the on May 18, 2016, against the Boston Red Sox at , where he recorded his first hit off David Price in a 5-2 loss. Following a successful career that honed his versatility across multiple positions, he initially served as a , appearing in 81 games that season with a .283 , 2 home runs, 29 RBIs, and 8 stolen bases while splitting time between second base, third base, and . Merrifield broke out in 2017, slashing .288/.315/.432 with 19 home runs, 78 RBIs, and a league-leading 34 stolen bases in 145 games, establishing himself as a dynamic and base-stealing threat for the Royals. He built on that success in 2018, batting .304/.367/.438 with 12 home runs, 60 RBIs, and another American League-leading 45 stolen bases, while topping in hits with 192 and setting a Royals single-season record with 49 doubles. That year, he also represented the Royals in the , contributing to the exhibition tour against stars. From 2019 to 2021, Merrifield maintained consistent production as a cornerstone of the Royals lineup, earning his first selection in 2019 after leading the majors with 206 hits and the with 10 triples, followed by a second nod in 2021 when he again paced the with 40 stolen bases. During this stretch, he slashed .295/.348/.430 across 384 games with 35 home runs and 178 RBIs, showcasing elite speed and contact skills. Notably, he set a franchise record by playing in 553 consecutive games from June 10, 2018, to July 10, 2022—the longest active streak in MLB at the time—demonstrating his durability while logging starts at six different positions. In 2022, Merrifield struggled early, batting .240 with 6 home runs and 42 RBIs in 95 games before the Royals traded him to the Blue Jays on August 2 for pitching prospect Max Castillo and / .

Toronto Blue Jays

Merrifield was acquired by the Blue Jays from the on August 2, 2022, in exchange for minor league prospects Max Castillo and . In 44 games with that season, he batted .281 with five home runs and 16 RBI, providing versatility across the infield and during the team's postseason run. In 2023, Merrifield's second and final year under the two-year, $14.25 million contract he had signed with the Royals prior to the trade, he earned $6.75 million while appearing in 145 games for the Blue Jays. Batting .272 with 11 home runs, 67 RBI, and 26 stolen bases, he was platooned at second base, left field, and right field to support Toronto's push to the Wild Card playoffs. Early in , he managed minor quadriceps tightness but avoided significant time lost to injury. Following the season, Merrifield and the Blue Jays mutually declined his $18 million club option for 2024, entitling him to a $500,000 and allowing him to enter . He did not receive any major awards during his tenure with .

Philadelphia Phillies

On February 19, 2024, Merrifield signed a one-year worth $7 million with a $1 million on an $8 million club option for 2025 with the Phillies as a . The deal was intended to bolster the team's depth with Merrifield's versatility, allowing him to cover multiple positions in the outfield (left, center, and right) as well as second base, third base, and even first base if needed during the season. Merrifield appeared in 53 games for the Phillies, primarily serving as a super-utility player to provide rest for starters and fill in amid injuries on a playoff-contending roster that held a strong position in the . He batted .199 with 3 home runs, 11 runs batted in, and 11 stolen bases, demonstrating defensive reliability across positions but struggling offensively in a prolonged slump that limited his impact. On July 12, 2024, the Phillies released Merrifield to clear a roster spot ahead of potential trade deadline moves aimed at upgrading their lineup, despite his contractual versatility. The team remained responsible for approximately $3 million of his $7 million salary for the year. His tenure, though brief, highlighted the challenges of integrating a utility player into a high-expectation environment where offensive production fell short of projections.

Atlanta Braves

On July 22, 2024, shortly after his release from the Philadelphia Phillies, the signed Whit Merrifield to a major league contract to provide depth at second base and in amid injuries to key players. Merrifield appeared in 42 games for the Braves during the remainder of the 2024 season, batting .248 with 1 , 4 RBI, and 6 stolen bases while posting a .348 . His versatility allowed him to contribute solid defense across multiple positions, including 40 games at second base, helping bolster the team's infield stability during their push for the , where Atlanta secured a Wild Card spot with an 89-73 record. Across all teams in 2024, Merrifield played 95 games with a .222 , 4 s, 15 RBI, and 17 stolen bases. Following the 2024 season, Merrifield became a but did not pursue opportunities for 2025. On June 24, 2025, at age 36, he announced his retirement from via , reflecting on his nine-season career that included 94 home runs and 218 stolen bases. In his statement, Merrifield cited the birth of his daughter in March 2024 and a desire to prioritize family time as key factors in his decision, stating he preferred "chasing around a than chasing sliders."

Personal life

Family background

Whit Merrifield was raised in a baseball-centric household in , where his parents' experiences in the sport profoundly shaped his early understanding of the game. His father, Bill Merrifield, was an All-American and ACC Player of the Year at before being selected by the California Angels in the second round of the 1983 MLB Draft. Bill spent six seasons in the from 1983 to 1988, primarily as a corner and outfielder, playing for affiliates including the (, 1983–1984), Midland Angels (, 1985–1986), Edmonton Trappers (, 1986–1987), (, 1987), and Oklahoma City 89ers (American Association, 1988). A unique family anecdote from Bill's career highlights the quirks of baseball's business side: in late August 1987, he was traded to the along with pitcher Miguel Garcia in exchange for Johnny Ray and briefly joined the major league roster as a "." Bill arrived at , entered the clubhouse, and was even listed as the starting first baseman for a game, but a rain delay led to his immediate reassignment to the Pirates' instructional league without appearing in a single major league contest; this move was primarily for roster depth and insurance purposes. Merrifield's mother, Kissy Merrifield, also provided significant emotional and financial support throughout his career. Growing up with two younger siblings, Costner and Hite, Merrifield gained early exposure to professional baseball through attending minor league games and engaging in family discussions about the challenges of pursuing a career in the sport, drawing directly from his father's perseverance through years of low pay and uncertainty in the minors. Bill's stories of toiling in the minors without reaching the majors inspired Whit's own persistence during his extended minor league tenure, emphasizing a household ethos of earning opportunities through hard work and avoiding regrets about unfulfilled dreams.

Marriage and children

Merrifield began dating Jordan Michael during his college years at the around 2006. The couple maintained their relationship through the challenges of his early professional career, including long-distance periods during his assignments from 2010 to 2016. Merrifield and Michael married on , 2019, in an intimate ceremony at Summerfield Farms in . provided steadfast support throughout Merrifield's MLB travels, balancing family life with the demands of his frequent team relocations across Kansas City, , , and . The couple welcomed their first child, daughter Seager, in March 2024, shortly after Merrifield signed with the . The timing created significant family separation challenges, as Merrifield was unable to be with his newborn for weeks during the early season. Merrifield's family played a pivotal role in his decision to retire from MLB in June 2025, prioritizing time with his young daughter over pursuing contracts for the upcoming season. In his announcement, he highlighted the birth of his "6 pound 6 ounce gift from God" as the primary factor, emphasizing a desire for greater work-life balance after nine professional seasons.

References

  1. https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/merriwh01.shtml
  2. https://www.mlb.com/player/whit-merrifield-593160
  3. https://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/awards.php?p=merriwh01
  4. https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/06/whit-merrifield-announces-retirement.html
  5. https://bobleesays.com/2017/06/21/whit-gets-show/
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  10. https://www.mlb.com/news/whit-merrifield-fondly-remembers-cws-title-run-c219215600
  11. https://www.thebaseballcube.com/content/player/144206/
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  22. https://sabr.org/latest/baumann-whit-merrifield-looks-like-the-next-david-eckstein-but-better/
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  49. https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/1063279/2019/07/07/no-quit-in-whit-merrifields-journey-had-its-share-of-speed-bumps-en-route-to-all-star-selection/
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  55. https://www.kmbc.com/article/former-royals-all-star-whit-merrifield-retires-mlb/65177674
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