Draft League Spotlight: Jayden Melendez
April 5, 2021
Player: Jayden Melendez
Position: C
School: Westminster Christian HS, FL
Melendez possesses strong bloodlines, as his father, Mervyl is the head coach at Florida International and his older brother, M.J., a 2017 second-round pick of the Kansas City Royals. Jayden is committed to FIU and stands at a compact and athletic 5-foot-9, 170 pounds. Like his brother, he has defensive upside, with a strong accurate arm. He’s athletic behind the plate with a centered set-up and can produce pop times in the 1.87-2.03 range. At the plate, he hits from the right side, with a tall, athletic and balanced set-up. He takes a high leg kick into a short stride and swings on a level path, staying inside the ball and getting good extension. He has a line-drive, gap-to-gap approach. Melendez runs a 7.2 60 with quick, athletic and choppy steps