MJ Melendez Stats & Scouting Report — College Baseball, MLB Draft, Prospects

Track Record: Melendez was one of several hitters at High-A Wilmington in 2019 to have a very difficult season at the plate. The improvement of the hitters from that season to 2021 was remarkable and a testament to the Royals’ improved hitting development program. Melendez made perhaps the most drastic turnaround of all, culminating in him leading the minor leagues with 41 home runs and finishing fifth with a 1.011 OPS as he climbed from Double-A to Triple-A. Even more significant was how he cut his strikeout rate from nearly 40% in 2019 to 21.7% in 2021.

Scouting Report: Melendez went to work on his swing and approach right after the 2019 season, resulting in a shorter swing, a toned-down leg kick, a better stance and a more relaxed approach. As a result, he is now able to pick up spin earlier, which leads to fewer chase swings out of the strike zone. Moving away from being a dead- pull hitter allowed Melendez to open up the opposite side of the field. He took well to the challenge of Triple-A, getting on base at a higher rate than in Double-A while maintaining his over-the-fence power. Melendez still has work to do with his receiving and blocking behind the plate, but he’s athletic and flexible enough to keep improving. Blessed with a plus-plus arm, he continues to throw out runners at a high rate. In 2021, he threw out potential base stealers at a 31% rate.

The Future: Melendez will benefit from a full season at Triple-A, especially with Salvador Perez firmly entrenched at catcher in Kansas City. He played a few games at third base after his promotion to Omaha and will continue to get experience at other positions.