The New York Mets are officially done bargain hunting for their bench, and they might have just landed the most intriguing lottery ticket of the winter. On Sunday, the team agreed to terms with MJ Melendez on a one-year, $1.5 million contract that includes an additional $500,000 in incentives. At first glance, signing a guy coming off a nightmare season feels like a depth move, but when you peel back the layers, this has David Stearns’ fingerprints all over it.
We aren’t just looking at a backup outfielder; we are looking at a 27-year-old former top prospect who has lost his way but still possesses the one tool you can’t teach: raw, violent power. Melendez is coming off a brutal 2025 campaign with the Kansas City Royals where he hit just .083 in 23 big-league games. But the Mets believe they can fix him, and for the price of a middle reliever, it’s a gamble worth taking.
The Metrics Scream “Untapped Potential”
If you only look at the batting average, you’ll miss the point. Melendez has always crushed the baseball when he makes contact. Last season, despite the surface-level struggles, he posted a 45.9% Hard-Hit Rate, a number that sits well above the league average. His exit velocity numbers have historically hovered in the elite tier, proving that the bat speed is still intact.
Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images
The problem—and it’s a big one—is the swing-and-miss. Melendez struck out 35.4% of the time in his brief MLB stint last year and owns a career strikeout rate of 26.5%. His plate discipline evaporated, with his whiff rate ballooning to 41.0% in 2025. However, if the Mets’ hitting lab can get him back to his 2022 rookie form—where he hit 18 homers, drove in 62 runs, and posted a 99 OPS+—he becomes a legitimate left-handed weapon off the bench.
The Ultimate Utility Swiss Army Knife
What makes Melendez a perfect fit for this roster is his glove—or rather, the number of gloves he owns. He isn’t just an outfielder; he is a catcher by trade who transitioned to the corners. In his career, he has logged 65 starts at catcher, along with significant time in both left and right field. He’s even dipped his toes at first base.
For a manager like Carlos Mendoza, having a third catcher who can also mash righties and play the outfield is a luxury. It frees up roster spots and allows for aggressive pinch-hitting moves in the 7th inning, knowing Melendez can slide in almost anywhere defensively.
The Front Office Prediction
Stearns isn’t done tweaking the fringes, but this move effectively locks the bench. I expect Melendez to be given every opportunity in Port St. Lucie to win the primary lefty bench bat role. If he shows even a glimmer of his 2022 discipline, the Mets won’t hesitate to carry him north. This is a low-risk, high-reward swing that could pay massive dividends in August.