Mets Castoff Makes 4-Word Promise After Trade Deadline Cut

JUPITER, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 27: Mj Melendez #1 of the New York Mets celebrates successful the dug retired aft hitting a location tally against the St. Louis Cardinals during the 4th inning of a outpouring training crippled astatine Roger Dean Stadium connected February 27, 2026 successful Jupiter, Florida. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images)

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The New York Mets entered the waste and acquisition deadline pinch a clear instruction to waste disconnected the seasoned contracts it could and look for a caller commencement adjacent season.

After a blockbuster wintertime of acquisitions, the Mets person been possibly the astir disappointing squad successful the athletics and had small prime but to move the expiring contracts it could and reboot astir immoderate younger talent.

And arsenic the squad adjusted its extent floor plan up of the deadline, 1 promising subordinate recovered himself trim from the big-league roster successful a disappointing move.

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As the Mets made a flurry of waste and acquisition deadline changes, including deals that shipped pitchers Freddy Peralta and Huascar Brazoban retired of Queens, the squad decided to designate outfielder MJ Melendez for assignment.

Shortly aft that announcement, Melendez addressed the business publically pinch a heartfelt station connected societal media.

"I genuinely wish I could've brought much to the array this year,” Melendez wrote. “I admit the statement for giving maine a chance and for the affirmative effect immoderate of my teammates and unit made successful my life. I wish thing but the best."

Melendez was precocious 1 of the much promising young position players successful each of shot and the roster trim was a disappointment, peculiarly arsenic the Mets are looking to reset astir younger talent successful a disappointing season. In his nationalist consequence to the update, Melendez offered a clear vow astir the future.

"I promise..My communicative isn't over,” he added.

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Melendez has shown immoderate committedness arsenic a catching imaginable earlier successful his profession and pinch a beardown agelong during his tally pinch the Mets this, though he hasn’t been capable to prolong accumulation astatine the plate.

"Melendez, 27, was erstwhile a promising catching imaginable pinch the (Kansas City) Royals,” Darragh McDonald noted for MLB Trade Rumors. “He didn't cookware retired successful the fields defensively, which sewage him moved to a area outfield role. Unfortunately, he hasn't been capable to deed capable to clasp a spot retired there. He was non-tendered astatine the extremity of past year, which allowed the Mets to scoop him up connected a one-year woody worthy $1.5MM."

Melendez initially looked for illustration 1 of the Mets' amended offseason bargains aft earning a promotion early successful the year. During his first 45 sheet appearances, he deed .333 pinch a .409 on-base percent and a .615 slugging percentage, showing flashes of the violative upside that erstwhile made him 1 of baseball's much intriguing prospects.

However, that accumulation proved difficult to sustain. Over his adjacent 99 sheet appearances, his numbers fell dramatically, and he yet vanished his stint pinch New York batting .192 pinch a .315 on-base percent and a .350 slugging percent earlier being optioned backmost to Triple-A successful June.

The Mets decided that roster elasticity was much valuable than continuing to hold for different turnaround, starring to his nickname for duty aft the deadline.