Jackson Merrill hosts baseball camp for hundreds of kids, Rady Children's Hospital patients in La Jolla

Ben Higgins
Posted

San Diego Padres centerfielder Jackson Merrill spent his day off welcoming hundreds of kids to his baseball camp at Cliffridge Park in La Jolla.

The camp drew 6 to 13-year-olds eager to meet one of their favorite players and sharpen their baseball skills. With the support of Alaska Airlines, 20 patients from Rady Children's Hospital were also able to attend.

Ricardo Calderon, who attended the Jackson Merrill Baseball Camp, summed up the spirit of the day.

"Normally I get striked out and I get walked sometimes but it's okay because I can try again every day," Calderon told ABC 10News, flanked by his two sisters.

Merrill said the connection he feels with young fans is something he takes seriously.

"It's a huge honor to have a lot of fans and a lot of kid fans, too. You know, I feel like I can relate to them as the young guy on the team, and there are a lot of young kids, so I'm just super-appreciative of them and the love they bring to the game," Merrill said.

For families of Rady Children's Hospital patients, the event offered a welcome moment of joy. Catalina Valadez, the parent of a Rady Children's Hospital patient, reflected on what the day meant to her family.

"It's been difficult of times, but to be honest, it's moments like this that we look forward to, that we can do together as a family," Valadez said.

Merrill said giving back to the community is something he feels strongly about.

"I think the community does so much for us behind the scenes, that we don't see. We just want to do the same for them," Merrill said.

Merrill returns to the field this weekend when the LA Dodgers come to town for a three-game series. The Padres are coming off a sweep of the Atlanta Braves, and the team is getting healthier. Second baseman Jake Cronenworth has started a minor league rehab assignment at Triple-A El Paso after suffering a concussion on April 18 when he was hit on the jaw by a 98-mile-per-hour fastball in Anaheim. Cronenworth stayed in the lineup for nearly three weeks before being placed on the injured list as concussion symptoms began to worsen.

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