The road to the big leagues has been filled with twists and turns for MJ Melendez, from his second-round selection in the 2017 draft, to his disastrous 2019 season in Wilmington, to last year when he led all minor leaguers with 41 home runs. After a brief spell in Omaha this season, he has made his splash with the Royals, with a team-best OPS+ of 123 in his first 38 games, with a line of .248/.336/.450 with six home runs.
With seven-time All-Star Salvador Perez already at catcher, the Royals have had Melendez spend some time in right field to get more playing time.