Dumpster Diving Turns Up Panini Player Signature Package

2023 has been something of a dumpster fire for Panini. They sued Fanatics. Fanatics countersued. The NFL has attempted to terminate its license with Panini. So did the WWE.

Panini seems to spend more time in the courtroom than it does creating cards these days.

What’s the next logical step? For valuable Panini cards to be found in a literal dumpster, apparently!

The Panini dumpster find

On September 29^th, the tweet below told a story originally posted on Reddit about a dumpster find.

Who is Jackson Merrill?

Jackson Merrill, the player whose unsigned cards are pictured in the tweet, is a 20-year-old shortstop in the San Diego Padres system. Merrill was the Padres 1^st round draft pick in the 2021 draft, going 27^th overall in that round. The 6’3”, 195-pound Merrill bats left and throws right.

Since being drafted, Merrill has played 200 minor league games in the Padres system and put up a strong .295/.347/.455 line, good for an OPS of .802. He completed the 2023 campaign with a 46-game promotion to AA.

Merrill is highly touted within the game. He ranked on a number of preseason prospect lists within the top 20 overall prospects in the game. He is ranked as the #2 prospect in the San Diego Padres system and appeared in the 2023 Futures Game.

So, Merrill is a prospect of some distinction and one whose autograph would have proven to be desirable to collectors. How did the cards end up in a dumpster instead of being signed and returned to Panini? We may never know….but if the story finds its way out, we’ll be sure to cover it here on Cardlines.com.

Jackson Merrill’s 1^st Bowman card appears in 2021.

Final thoughts (for now) on the Panini Dumpster Find

While it likely isn’t Panini’s fault that these cards ended up in a dumpster, or at least they likely didn’t put them there, it’s another bad look for a company that’s had a tough year.

What’s the story behind the whole situation? We may or may not ever know. But it’s another interesting chapter in the hobby theme of 2023 that seems to be the “Fall of Panini”.

What’s your take on the Panini dumpster diving find? Let us know what’s on your mind at card_lines on Twitter.

More Cardlines Coverage of Panini’s Problems

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NFLPA Terminates Panini Contract Immediately

Fanatics Strikes Back With Panini Countersuit

Panini Suing Fanatics For Antitrust Breach In Bombshell Lawsuit

Panini Has Sued Fanatics For Poaching Employees

Why Did Somebody Break Into Panini America?

Are Your Pending Panini Redemptions Going To Someone Else?