Is this KC Royals outcast finally turning a corner in Triple-A?

When MJ Melendez reported to Spring Training in 2025, he did so with a chip on shoulder. Looking for a bounce back season and the Kansas City Royals were counting on it. After a disappointing 2024 campaign that witnessed him hit just .206 with a .273 on-base percentage, the organization hoped that a winter of hard work would help reestablish himself as a key part of their core moving forward.

Melendez spent the offseason reworking his swing mechanics, simplifying his approach at the plate in hopes of unlocking the offensive potential he had shown flashes of in years prior. He didn’t stop at the plate. Ditching his days as a catcher, Melendez also zeroed in on improving defensively in the outfield aiming to become more dependable in the corner spots — a necessary evolution for a player trying to round out his game and justify a regular role.

But when the 2025 season began, the results just didn’t follow. In 16 games with the big-league club, Melendez managed just four hits in 47 at-bats, slashing .085/.173/.170 with a single home run. More troubling was his strikeout rate, which ballooned to 38.5 percent. The Royals, still hopeful but realistic, made the difficult decision in mid-April to option Melendez to Triple-A Omaha.

Royals hope struggles spark a comeback for Melendez

Royals General Manager J.J. Picollo framed the move not as a setback, but a necessary reset.

“It’s certainly not the end of his career,” Picollo said. “We would like to think it’s the start of a new beginning. Take advantage of the opportunity to play in Triple-A. Play well and get back here.”

Melendez appears to have taken that message to heart. Since May 16th, the 25-year-old has quietly begun to string together quality at-bats in Omaha. Before Wednesday's doubleheader against Iowa, he’d hit safely in 13 of his last 15 games, lifting his Triple-A average from .160 to .225 over that stretch. As of early June 3, Melendez was slashing .225/.264/.442 with seven home runs and 19 RBIs across 34 games for the Storm Chasers. It's far from a finished product, but it’s progress — and for a player trying to regain his footing, that’s exactly what the Royals wanted to see.

Before his demotion, Melendez’s bat looked lost at the major league level. Now, there are signs of life. While Kansas City will understandably want to see more sustained production before extending another call-up, Melendez is proving that he's up for the challenge — and perhaps, finally, ready to turn the corner.

For the Royals, the next few weeks will be telling. If Melendez can continue trending upward in Omaha, he may force his way back to Kansas City. The raw tools have never been in question. It’s the consistency and the confidence that now stand between him and another shot at the Show.