- Full name Gustavo Melendez
- Born 10/20/2007 in
- Profile Ht.: 5'9" / Wt.: 160 / Bats: L / Throws: R
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Drafted in the 4th round (113th overall) by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2025 (signed for $671,800).
View Draft Report
School: Colegio La Merced HS, Cayey, P.R. Drafted/Committed: Wake Forest
Age At Draft: 17.7
BA Grade: 50/Extreme
Melendez is the top Puerto Rican player in the class and comes with plenty of high-level experience as a member of Team USA’s 12U national team in 2019, and also a member of Puerto Rico’s 15U team in 2022. He has a profile similar to many recent Puerto Rican prospects, with an undersized frame at 5-foot-9, 160 pounds, but a slick and twitchy defensive profile and solid offensive traits to build on. Melendez’s glove stands out the most currently. He’s quick and plays with a low center of gravity with snappy, reliable hands as well as a quick exchange and solid arm strength. While Melendez is stretched on deep throws from the hole now, he should have enough arm strength to earn every opportunity to stick at the position. Some scouts think he’ll eventually move to second and there are some who are intrigued by the possibility of converting him to catching. He’s a solid runner who could gain a step or two with more strength gains. Offensively, Melendez has typically been a patient hitter who uses his size to his advantage and will draw walks. He has well below-average raw power, but will often swing with a steeper, uphill path that’s not entirely conducive with his tool set. Melendez is committed to Wake Forest but is one of the youngest players in the class and will be 17 on draft day. He could go in a similar range or slightly after recent Puerto Rican prospects JD Gonzalez (third round) and Ivan Luciano (second round).
Scouting Grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 30 | Run:50 | Field: 55 | Arm: 50.
Top Rankings
Draft Prospects
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School: Colegio La Merced HS, Cayey, P.R. Drafted/Committed: Wake Forest
Age At Draft: 17.7
BA Grade: 50/Extreme
Melendez is the top Puerto Rican player in the class and comes with plenty of high-level experience as a member of Team USA’s 12U national team in 2019, and also a member of Puerto Rico’s 15U team in 2022. He has a profile similar to many recent Puerto Rican prospects, with an undersized frame at 5-foot-9, 160 pounds, but a slick and twitchy defensive profile and solid offensive traits to build on. Melendez’s glove stands out the most currently. He’s quick and plays with a low center of gravity with snappy, reliable hands as well as a quick exchange and solid arm strength. While Melendez is stretched on deep throws from the hole now, he should have enough arm strength to earn every opportunity to stick at the position. Some scouts think he’ll eventually move to second and there are some who are intrigued by the possibility of converting him to catching. He’s a solid runner who could gain a step or two with more strength gains. Offensively, Melendez has typically been a patient hitter who uses his size to his advantage and will draw walks. He has well below-average raw power, but will often swing with a steeper, uphill path that’s not entirely conducive with his tool set. Melendez is committed to Wake Forest but is one of the youngest players in the class and will be 17 on draft day. He could go in a similar range or slightly after recent Puerto Rican prospects JD Gonzalez (third round) and Ivan Luciano (second round).
Scouting Grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 30 | Run:50 | Field: 55 | Arm: 50. -
School: Colegio La Merced HS, Cayey, P.R. Committed: Wake Forest
Age At Draft: 17.7
Melendez already has played in multiple World Cups, first playing for the USA in the U-12 World Cup in 2019, then for Puerto Rico in the U-15 World Cup in 2022. Melendez is also one of the youngest players in the 2025 class. He won’t turn 18 until October after his draft year, so he fits in with 2026 players, but his feel for the game is well beyond his years. He’s not that big, but he takes advantage of his smaller strike zone with a patient, disciplined approach and puts the ball in play at a high clip. Melendez can put a surprising charge into the ball for his size with occasional over-the-fence pop. That can get him in trouble at times when his swing gets uphill trying to get to that power, but he’s at his best when he stays with his line-drive approach and works gap to gap. An average runner, defends his position well at shortstop. He has quick feet, plays low to the ground and has smooth actions with soft hands and good body control charging the slow roller. He has the arm strength for the position and it could tick up more in the coming years.
