D-backs Top 40 Prospects in 2024: No. 27 Ivan Melendez

The slugging first baseman continued to smash homers, but also struggled with strikeouts again in 2024

Ivan Melendez holds a bat during photo day at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on Feb. 21, 2024. / Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

This article is part of a series reviewing the seasons of the top 40 prospects still in the Arizona Diamondbacks system as of the end of 2024.

Ivan Melendez RHB/1B-3B, DOB 1/24/2000, 6'1" 220

Acquired: Round 2, 43rd overall in the 2022 Amateur Draft

Ivan Melendez came out of the University of Texas in 2022 as the first Golden Spikes winner in Longhorns history. He hit .387 with 32 homers and 94 RBI in 315 plate appearances. He earned the nickname "The Hispanic Titanic" thanks to his prodigious power.

Already 22 years old when drafted, and sporting a 70 grade power rating, the Diamondbacks hoped that Melendez could advance quickly enough to reach the major leagues in time to coincide with Christian Walker's free agency for the 2025 season.

Melendez struggled in his first taste of professional ball in his draft year, batting just .206 with three homers in 120 PA for Class-A Visalia Rawhide. Undeterred from their promotion schedule, the D-backs sent him to High-A Hillsboro to start the 2023 season.

Melendez split the 2023 season between two levels, High-A, and Double-A Amarillo after a mid season promotion. For the full year he hit .272/.345/.578 with 30 homers. He posted a 148 wRC+ in Hillsboro and 126 wRC+ in Amarillo.

The caveat was that the slugging came with an extremely high strikeout rate. He whiffed 146 times in 426 PA, or 34.3%. He also walked just 31 times, or 7.3%.

Sent to the Arizona Fall League at the end of 2023 to work on his plate discipline, Melendez did not hit well, batting .229 with two homers and 27 more strikeouts in 97 PA. This all resulted in Melendez being sent back to Amarillo at the start of 2024 to repeat Double-A

2024 started off slowly for Melendez, but picked up for a while in May. His power output was steady, but his batting average regressed from 2023 and his strikeout rate only improved marginally.

Through July 30, Melendez hit .248/.327/.451, with 18 homers. He had just eight doubles and one triple however, and struck out 102 times in 352 PA, 29%. Melendez was also playing third base most of the time with mixed results.

An injury sidelined Melendez for two weeks between July 31 and August 13. After returning in August he played in 22 more games through the end of the season, most of them at first base, thanks to the promotion of Gino Groover. Melendez hit just .202 with four homers and 31 more strikeouts in 90 PA.

The final season line was was .238/.312/.434, .746 OPS. While he managed 22 homers, the strikeout rate ended up at 30.1%. Meanwhile the 7.7% walk rate was essentially the same as 2023.

2025 Outlook

70 grade power does not grow on trees. With just a moderate improvement to his plate discipline, Melendez would have a much better chance to get to his power at the major league level. But according to Steve Gilbert of MLB.com, Melendez had a 47% chase rate on fastballs outside the strike zone.

It's not clear yet if Melendez will start the 2024 season back in Amarillo, or in Triple-A with the Reno Aces. The D-backs have Tristin English and Tim Tawa on the Aces roster as of this writing, and both play first base, among other positions.

Melendez will be entering his age 25 season, which is not young for for a prospect, especially one that has not played above Double-A yet. On the other hand, due to being an older college draftee, he has just 988 professional plate appearances.

2025 is a critical year for Melendez. If he can show a little more plate discipline he still progress to the majors relatively quickly on the strength of his power tool. But if there is no improvement or reduction in the chase and strikeout rates, he could stall out and fail to reach the majors at all.