Report: Mets sign MJ Melendez to a Major League Deal

 

According to Jon Heyman on X, the New York Mets have signed MJ Melendez to a $1.5 million split Major/Minor deal with $500K in incentives.  

According to Will Sammon in the Athletic, the deal is a split contract (different amounts for Minors and Majors).  The Mets plan on having him as part of the OF mix in case Carson Benge doesn't make the team in the Spring.  

Once a top prospect in the Royals system as a catcher, he hasn't caught since 2023.  In recent years he has played LF, RF and DH.

According to FanGraphs, he has 1 Minor League option left.  

MJ Melendez Stats:

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Year	Age	AgeDif	Tm	Lg	Lev	Aff	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	TB	GDP	HBP	SH	SF	IBB
2017	18	-1.8	Royals	ARIZ	Rk	KCR	47	198	168	25	44	8	3	4	30	4	2	26	60	.262	.374	.417	.790	70	1	4	0	0	0
2018	19	-2.4	Lexington	SALL	A	KCR	111	472	419	52	105	26	9	19	73	4	6	43	143	.251	.322	.492	.814	206	3	4	0	6	0
2019	20	-2.7	Wilmington	CARL	A+	KCR	110	419	363	34	59	23	2	9	54	7	5	44	165	.163	.260	.311	.571	113	3	5	3	4	0
2021	22		2 Teams	2 Lgs	AA-AAA	KCR	124	531	448	95	129	22	3	41	103	3	6	75	115	.288	.386	.625	1.011	280	3	1	0	7	0
2021	22	-4.5	Omaha	AAAE	AAA	KCR	45	184	150	37	44	4	3	13	38	1	2	32	39	.293	.413	.620	1.033	93	0	0	0	2	0
2021	22	-2.1	Northwest Arkansas	AACN	AA	KCR	79	347	298	58	85	18	0	28	65	2	4	43	76	.285	.372	.628	.999	187	3	1	0	5	0
2022	23	-3.4	Omaha	IL	AAA	KCR	21	91	78	7	13	4	0	2	6	3	0	13	22	.167	.286	.295	.581	23	1	0	0	0	0
2022	23	-4.9	KCR	AL	Maj	KCR	129	534	460	57	100	21	3	18	62	2	3	66	131	.217	.313	.393	.706	181	2	1	0	7	1
2023	24	-3.9	KCR	AL	Maj	KCR	148	602	533	65	125	29	5	16	56	6	4	62	170	.235	.316	.398	.713	212	4	3	0	4	2
2024	25	0.7	Northwest Arkansas	TL	AA	KCR	3	11	9	3	1	0	0	1	2	0	0	1	2	.111	.182	.444	.626	4	0	0	0	1	0
2024	25	-2.8	KCR	AL	Maj	KCR	135	450	412	44	85	23	3	17	44	4	4	35	113	.206	.273	.400	.674	165	3	3	0	0	1
2025	26	-0.3	Omaha	IL	AAA	KCR	107	480	433	70	113	33	3	20	64	20	8	39	135	.261	.323	.490	.813	212	2	3	0	5	0
2025	26	-1.8	KCR	AL	Maj	KCR	23	65	60	5	5	2	0	1	1	0	0	3	23	.083	.154	.167	.321	10	0	2	0	0	0
2025-26	26	-1.4	Caguas	PRWL	FgW		15	65	55	5	9	2	0	0	3	0	1	9	13	.164	.277	.200	.477	11	0	0	0	1	0
Year	Age	AgeDif	Tm	Lg	Lev	Aff	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	TB	GDP	HBP	SH	SF	IBB
Majors (4 seasons)					Majors		435	1651	1465	171	315	75	11	52	163	12	11	166	437	.215	.297	.388	.685	568	9	9	0	11	4
Minors (7 seasons)					Minors		523	2202	1918	286	464	116	20	96	332	41	27	241	642	.242	.328	.473	.802	908	13	17	3	23	0
Foreign (1 season)					Foreign		15	65	55	5	9	2	0	0	3	0	1	9	13	.164	.277	.200	.477	11	0	0	0	1	0
All Levels (8 Seasons)							973	3918	3438	462	788	193	31	148	498	53	39	416	1092	.229	.314	.433	.747	1487	22	26	3	35	4
AAA (3 seasons)					Minors		173	755	661	114	170	41	6	35	108	24	10	84	196	.257	.340	.496	.837	328	3	3	0	7	0
AA (2 seasons)					Minors		82	358	307	61	86	18	0	29	67	2	4	44	78	.280	.366	.622	.988	191	3	1	0	6	0
A+ (1 season)					Minors		110	419	363	34	59	23	2	9	54	7	5	44	165	.163	.260	.311	.571	113	3	5	3	4	0
A (1 season)					Minors		111	472	419	52	105	26	9	19	73	4	6	43	143	.251	.322	.492	.814	206	3	4	0	6	0
Rk (1 season)					Minors		47	198	168	25	44	8	3	4	30	4	2	26	60	.262	.374	.417	.790	70	1	4	0	0	0

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 2/8/2026.