3 KC Royals players who survived the non-tender deadline but could still get traded before Opening Day

MJ Melendez

It's hardly a secret that the Royals' outfield was a mess at the plate in 2024, and Melendez was certainly no exception. This season, the 26-year-old posted a .206/.273/.400 line with 17 home runs and 44 RBI, ranking in just the 10th percentile of all qualified batters with an abysmal Batting Run Value (BRV) of -13. His 25.1% strikeout rate and 29.5% whiff rate both placed him well below average, and his defense simply wasn't reliable enough to even start to make up for it.

Melendez recorded -6 Outs Above Average (OAA) to rank in the ninth percentile of all qualified fielders, and his Fielding Run Value (FRV) of -6 put him in just the 12th percentile. His only redeeming quality came in his impressive arm strength, which clocked in at 91.5 mph to see him ranked in the 93rd percentile of all qualified fielders.

Despite Melendez never showing a huge amount of promise at the plate — after three seasons in the majors, his career batting average is just .221 — the Royals seem determined to keep him on the roster, but how long can that last? Kansas City is actively working to secure another playoff campaign next season, but the team needs to lock in a reliable outfield before they can be considered a serious threat in contention conversations. Melendez just isn't ready to be a part of that, and trading him now as part of a larger package would be the best way for the Royals to get a valuable return.

The 2025 season will be Melendez's first year of arbitration eligibility. MLB Trade Rumors projects his salary will land at $2.5 million in 2025, while Spotrac estimates he'll earn slightly less at $2.36 million. Either way, it's a big increase from the one-year, $755K pre-arb contract he had in 2024, but still very affordable if a team is looking to add a developing player for the future.

With the right development, Melendez might eventually break out as a strong player — but the Royals aren't in a position to baby yet another underperforming outfielder while they're trying to pry open their contention window. It's time to move on.