Merritt has been rocked for seven runs on nine hits over 5.1 innings this spring.
The sample size doesn't need to be large to understand that Merritt isn't quite ready for the big leagues. Cactus League hitters have tagged him for a .346 BAA while drawing a walk and a hit-by-pitch over Merritt's three appearances. After being part of the last season's World Series roster, the lefty is slated to begin 2017 at Triple-A Columbus.