Julian Merryweather – Chicago Cubs Biography, Contract, Net Worth Information

Julian Merryweather has become a notable reliever for the Chicago Cubs since he joined the team in 2023.

Born on October 14, 1991, in Berkeley, California, the right-hander took a winding path to establish himself in Major League Baseball.

He spent some time with the Toronto Blue Jays before the Cubs scooped him up off waivers in January 2023.

Julian Merryweather currently earns $1,225,000 with the Chicago Cubs on a one-year deal. That’s a nice bump from his previous $737,000 salary in 2023.

His net worth sits at about $2,072,763, which reflects his career earnings so far.

Merryweather has battled through plenty of challenges to make his mark in MLB.

The Cleveland Indians originally drafted him, and over time, he’s become a valuable bullpen piece.

The Cubs noticed his potential and claimed him off waivers in early 2023.

He’s been paying them back ever since, contributing steadily to their pitching staff.

Early Life and Background

Julian Christopher Merryweather entered the world on October 14, 1991, in Berkeley, California.

His early years definitely shaped his path toward becoming a professional baseball pitcher.

Family influences and his education both played big roles in his development.

Family Origins

Merryweather grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area, right in Berkeley.

There isn’t much public info about his immediate family, but his California roots gave him a solid foundation for an athletic career.

The Bay Area, with its competitive youth sports, exposed Merryweather to baseball early on.

Berkeley’s diversity and rich athletic traditions probably played a part in his upbringing.

Unlike some pros who bounce around as kids, he seems to have kept strong ties to Northern California.

Education and Early Baseball Influences

He attended Junípero Serra High School in San Mateo, a school known for its baseball tradition.

It’s the same place that produced legends like Barry Bonds and Tom Brady, so you could say the bar was set pretty high.

After high school, Merryweather kept going with both school and baseball.

He eventually landed at Oklahoma Baptist University, where he sharpened his pitching before entering the MLB draft.

His college years really helped him catch the eye of pro scouts.

In 2014, the Cleveland Indians (now Guardians) drafted him in the fifth round, 158th overall.

That marked the start of his professional journey.

His transition from college ball to the pros showed just how much his hard work and natural talent had paid off.

Professional Baseball Career

Julian Merryweather’s professional journey has been full of challenges, changes, and a lot of persistence.

He’s gone from a late-round pick to a reliable major league reliever with two organizations.

Draft and Minor League Development

The Cleveland Indians picked Merryweather in the 5th round of the 2014 MLB Draft.

Coming out of Oklahoma Baptist, he wasn’t a big-name prospect, but Cleveland saw enough to give him a shot.

He worked his way through their minor league system from 2014 to 2017.

Merryweather put up some solid numbers at Double-A Akron and Triple-A Columbus.

But then, in 2018, he hit a big setback—Tommy John surgery.

That wiped out his entire season and changed the course of his career.

Major League Debut

Cleveland traded him to the Toronto Blue Jays as the player to be named later in the Josh Donaldson deal.

He spent 2019 recovering, but he finally made his MLB debut with the Blue Jays in 2020.

His debut came in the pandemic-shortened season.

He pitched in 8 games, showing off a fastball that touched 98-99 mph.

One of his big early moments came in April 2021 when he notched his first career save against the Yankees.

That performance briefly put him in the conversation as a possible closer for Toronto.

Teams and Trades

Merryweather pitched out of the Blue Jays’ bullpen from 2019 to 2022.

He flashed great stuff, but injuries kept him from being consistently available.

In January 2023, the Cubs claimed him off waivers after Toronto designated him for assignment.

This move gave him a fresh start.

His 2023 Cubs contract was worth $1,225,000, a jump from his previous $737,000 salary with Toronto.

In Chicago, he shifted into a middle relief role, aiming to lock down a spot in the Cubs’ bullpen rather than chase a rotation job.

Contract Details and Financial Overview

Julian Merryweather’s financial path in MLB looks a lot like that of a late-blooming reliever.

His earnings have steadily climbed as he’s proven himself as a bullpen option.

His newest contract marks a big step up from his earlier deals.

Salary History

Merryweather’s MLB salary has grown little by little.

In 2022, he made $711,200 with the Blue Jays, just above league minimum.

The next year, his salary bumped up to $737,000 with the Cubs, after they claimed him in January 2023.

That’s pretty standard for pre-arbitration players who haven’t built up enough service time to negotiate bigger deals.

During those early years, Merryweather proved his worth as a hard-throwing reliever, even while battling injuries.

Current Contract Overview

For 2025, Merryweather is playing on a one-year, $1,225,000 contract with the Cubs.

This is a solid raise, showing the Cubs value his improved reliability in the bullpen.

The contract is fully guaranteed, so Merryweather has some financial peace of mind for the season.

His annual average value (AAV) is $1.225 million—a modest figure in MLB terms, but a good deal for the Cubs given his role.

The Cubs seem to like supplementing their roster with affordable, effective relievers, and Merryweather fits that mold.

Free Agency and Qualifying Offers

Injuries early in Merryweather’s career slowed down his service time, making his path to free agency a bit tricky.

As a reliever in his early 30s (born October 14, 1991, so he’s 33), his timing for free agency will matter a lot for his future earnings.

Given his role and pay, he probably won’t get a qualifying offer when he hits the open market.

Teams usually save those for star players with much higher salaries.

Both sides will have to weigh risk and reward on his next deal.

Teams will consider his injury history, and Merryweather will have to decide between financial security and chasing higher annual pay.

Julian Merryweather Net Worth

Julian Merryweather has built up a modest net worth from his baseball career.

Most of it comes from MLB contracts, with a bit possibly coming from endorsements or investments.

Career Earnings

His finances mostly come from his baseball salary and contracts.

As of 2023, his net worth was estimated at $2,072,763.

That’s his total earnings since he went pro.

In 2023, Merryweather made a salary of $737,000 with no signing bonus.

He got a boost when he signed with the Cubs for a 1-year, $1,225,000 contract, all guaranteed.

He started out after being drafted by the Cleveland Indians (now Guardians).

His path included being claimed off waivers by the Cubs in January 2023 after Toronto designated him for assignment.

Endorsements and Advertisements

Unlike big-name stars, Merryweather doesn’t have a huge endorsement portfolio.

As a reliever, he hasn’t really broken into the national spotlight.

Most of his endorsement chances would probably come from regional deals in Chicago or maybe from companies that make baseball gear.

Pitchers sometimes land deals with glove makers or companies selling recovery products.

But there haven’t been any big public endorsement deals for Merryweather in sports business news.

His social media is professional but doesn’t show off any major sponsored content.

Investments and Other Income

Like a lot of pro athletes, Merryweather probably works with financial advisors to manage his earnings.

Details about his investments are private, but players often put money into real estate, stocks, or mutual funds.

Given that he’s lived in Berkeley, Toronto, and Chicago, he might own property in those areas, though nothing’s been reported.

MLB players get extra benefits from the league’s pension plan and healthcare, which adds to their financial security.

That pension plan is actually one of the best in pro sports.

Some players also run camps or do clinics in the offseason, but there’s not much public info about Merryweather doing that.

Injuries, Surgery, and Physical Condition

Julian Merryweather has dealt with several injuries that have limited his time on the mound and affected his performance.

His career has really tested his resilience, and he’s had to fight through more than a few setbacks as a pro athlete.

Injury History

Julian Merryweather has run into a lot of injury challenges during his pro career. In 2022, he hit a major roadblock when he landed on the 60-day injured list with an oblique injury.

That long stretch off the field kept him from pitching much, and he managed only 26 appearances all season.

Before that, Merryweather dealt with elbow issues and had to get Tommy John surgery. That surgery cost him a ton of development time.

Injuries have interrupted his seasons over and over, making it tough for him to find any real consistency in the majors.

Then in 2023, knee problems started messing with his performance and limited his availability. The knee trouble didn’t just go away, either—it lingered into the next season, even as he agreed to his 2024 contract while still dealing with knee issues.

Surgical Interventions

Tommy John surgery stands out as the biggest medical hurdle in Merryweather’s career. This elbow reconstruction, which is pretty common for pitchers, usually means sitting out for 12 to 18 months.

Doctors replace the damaged ulnar collateral ligament in the elbow with a tendon from somewhere else in the body. That’s a pretty big deal for any pitcher.

Timing-wise, the surgery hit Merryweather during a really important stretch for his development. After Tommy John, pitchers usually need a while to get their old velocity and control back.

Besides that major elbow operation, he’s had to go through a few minor procedures to fix up other soft tissue injuries. Those might not be as dramatic as Tommy John, but they still need careful rehab and medical attention.

Recovery and Rehabilitation

Merryweather tackles rehab with a lot of determination. He’s probably followed graduated throwing programs, focused on strength training, and made some biomechanical tweaks to keep injuries at bay.

The Cubs’ medical team has worked side by side with him, mapping out his recovery step by step. These days, MLB rehab programs use all sorts of advanced tools—platelet-rich plasma therapy, targeted strength work, and strict workload management.

Even with all these setbacks, Merryweather keeps bouncing back. After his oblique injury in 2022, he managed to return to the mound by September 5th.

His patient approach to rehab has helped him keep his pitching skills sharp, especially his velocity and movement. You can really see his mental toughness and dedication in the way he keeps fighting through one setback after another.

Off-Field Life and Personal Interests

Away from baseball, Julian Merryweather tries to keep things balanced. He values his relationships, gets involved in the community, and keeps a pretty low profile in the media.

His off-field life adds another layer to his career with the Chicago Cubs.

Personal Relationships

Born in Berkeley, California on October 14, 1991, Merryweather tends to keep his private life under wraps. He’s not the type to show up in celebrity gossip columns.

Still, he’s built strong friendships with teammates over the years. When he played for the Toronto Blue Jays, you’d often spot him joking around with Danny Jansen and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. during practice.

Those relationships have helped him deal with the grind of pro baseball.

During the off-season, he likes to get outside—hiking and fishing are his go-to activities. He doesn’t really put his romantic life in the spotlight, unlike some other players.

Community Involvement and Charity Work

Merryweather quietly makes a difference as a community-minded athlete. He doesn’t chase the spotlight, but he gets involved in several charitable efforts during the season.

He cares a lot about youth baseball, especially in communities that don’t have many resources. He often donates gear and spends time at youth clinics, wanting to give kids a fair shot no matter their background.

Since signing his $1,225,000 contract with the Cubs, he’s stepped up his community work in Chicago. He joins in on the team’s official charity events and has taken a special interest in children’s literacy programs.

When the season ends, Merryweather heads back to California and supports local baseball development there. He approaches charity work with humility—he’s way more focused on making a real impact than on getting credit for it.

Media Presence and Subscribers

Merryweather doesn’t chase the kind of huge social media followings that some pro athletes have. Instead, he keeps things pretty low-key, and honestly, that makes his online presence feel a lot more real.

On his social media, you’ll catch bits of his training routine and sometimes a peek at what he’s up to off the field.

His Instagram has slowly climbed to around 50,000 followers—mostly baseball fans who seem to like how genuine he is. He usually posts:

• Training highlights
• Game day preparations
• The occasional team celebration
• Quick snaps from his outdoor hobbies

You’ll spot Merryweather in a handful of Cubs media day features and some team-produced videos. He comes off as thoughtful and well-spoken, but you can tell he’d rather keep his private life private than chase the spotlight.

Every now and then, he’ll drop some behind-the-scenes thoughts about pitching right-handed while swinging lefty in batting practice. Teammates love to tease him about it, especially during interviews.