The New York Mets entered the trade deadline with a clear mandate to sell off the veteran contracts it could and look for a fresh start next season.
After a blockbuster winter of acquisitions, the Mets have been perhaps the most disappointing team in the sport and had little choice but to move the expiring contracts it could and reboot around some younger talent.
And as the team adjusted its depth chart ahead of the deadline, one promising player found himself cut from the big-league roster in a disappointing move.
Former New York Mets Outfielder Sends Emotional Message After Trade Deadline Roster Move
As the Mets made a flurry of trade deadline changes, including deals that shipped pitchers Freddy Peralta and Huascar Brazoban out of Queens, the team decided to designate outfielder MJ Melendez for assignment.
Shortly after that announcement, Melendez addressed the situation publicly with a heartfelt post on social media.
“I truly wish I could’ve brought more to the table this year,” Melendez wrote. “I appreciate the organization for giving me a chance and for the positive impact some of my teammates and staff made in my life. I wish nothing but the best.”
Melendez was recently one of the more promising young position players in all of baseball and the roster cut was a disappointment, particularly as the Mets are looking to reset around younger talent in a disappointing season. In his public response to the update, Melendez offered a clear vow about the future.
“I promise..My story isn’t over,” he added.
New York Mets Cut Outfield Experiment Amid Trade Deadline Moves
Melendez has shown some promise as a catching prospect earlier in his career and with a strong stretch during his run with the Mets this, though he hasn’t been able to sustain production at the plate.
“Melendez, 27, was once a promising catching prospect with the (Kansas City) Royals,” Darragh McDonald noted for MLB Trade Rumors. “He didn’t pan out in the majors defensively, which got him moved to a corner outfield role. Unfortunately, he hasn’t been able to hit enough to hold a spot out there. He was non-tendered at the end of last year, which allowed the Mets to scoop him up on a one-year deal worth $1.5MM.”
Melendez initially looked like one of the Mets’ better offseason bargains after earning a promotion early in the year. During his first 45 plate appearances, he hit .333 with a .409 on-base percentage and a .615 slugging percentage, showing flashes of the offensive upside that once made him one of baseball’s more intriguing prospects.
However, that production proved difficult to sustain. Over his next 99 plate appearances, his numbers fell dramatically, and he ultimately finished his stint with New York batting .192 with a .315 on-base percentage and a .350 slugging percentage before being optioned back to Triple-A in June.
The Mets decided that roster flexibility was more valuable than continuing to wait for another turnaround, leading to his designation for assignment after the deadline.