(Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
MJ Melendez, a top Kansas City prospect, took a bit of a break Friday night. The regular catcher for the KC Royals’ Double-A Northwest Arkansas affiliate took a turn as the club’s designated hitter, thus sparing himself from another evening spent enduring the continuing physical rigors of life behind the plate.
Melendez did not, however, take respite from punishing opposing pitchers. Instead, he homered, walked twice, and drove in two runs in a 1-for-3 performance that helped the Naturals beat Wichita 9-1.
The home run was Melendez’s 25th of the season, the highest total in the minor leagues through Saturday’s games.