The Pittsburgh Pirates have nothing to lose by signing MJ Melendez and giving him a chance during the 2026 season.
The Pittsburgh Pirates are in the middle of a lengthy rebuild and are still a ways off from competing for a spot in the playoffs, let alone a World Series.
That means the organization can take a risk on a low-risk, high-reward free agent, especially when they still have the potential to be a quality big-leaguer at some point during their career.
Ahead of last Friday’s non-tender deadline, the Kansas City Royals cut ties with MJ Melendez, making him an unrestricted free agent. This is exactly the type of player the Pirates should be willing to take a flier on for the 2026 season.
Melendez made his MLB debut in 2022 and was a main piece to Kansas City’s lineup the next three seasons. In 2025, he was optioned back down to Triple-A after just 23 games, and never appeared with the Royals again.
Overall, Melendez has registered some disappointing numbers throughout his career. Over the last four years, he has had a career slash line of .215/.297/.388 with an OPS of .685. After over 1,600 plate appearances, it was clear Melendez wasn’t going to work out in KC.
That said, Melendez is still only 26 years old and topped out as the Royals’ No. 2-ranked prospect heading into the 2022 season after being drafted by Kansas City in the second round of the 2017 draft.
Aug 26, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Kansas City Royals left fielder MJ Melendez (1) rounds the bases after hitting a home run during the fourth inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn ImagesNot to mention, Kansas City was asked to do a lot with the Royals. He was drafted as a catcher, but made the transition to being a corner outfielder and even took reps at first base, too.
If Melendez never felt comfortable on defense, that could easily have affected his offensive output, too.
The right-hander still registered solid numbers in the minors during the 2025 season, recording a slashline of .261/.323/.490 with an OPS of .813. Melendez also still had an average exit velocity over 90 mph during his short stint with the Royals' big-league team.
Perhaps what Melendez needs is a change of scenery and a fresh look at his swing from a big-league coaching staff, and Pittsburgh could have room for him on the roster.
Maybe the Pirates can give Melendez one more MLB opportunity to show he can be a productive hitter. There’s no risk for the Pirates either. They had arguably the worst offense in baseball last season and are searching for a diamond in the rough.
Why not take a chance on a former top prospect when the postseason already feels far-fetched in 2026?