MJ Melendez went on an absolute tear this week, hitting a ridiculous .381/.519/1.000 with four homers, making him the hottest bat in the Mets minor league system. Since August 1st, this dude has been unstoppable, putting up a .301/.368/.707 line in 33 games, smashing 12 doubles, a triple, and another 12 home runs. It’s insane! But get this: he wasn’t even named Hitter of the Week. That honor went to Vidal Brujan, thanks to the “McNeil Rule” making Melendez ineligible. Seriously?
Brujan’s Wild Ride to Hitter of the Week
So, Brujan is the guy, putting up a solid week himself. In six games, he hit .391/.500/.696 across 23 at-bats, grabbing nine hits, a double, and two home runs. He walked five times, struck out six, and even swiped a bag. Not bad at all! But his season numbers tell a different story. For Triple-A, he’s at .268/.381/.399 with four homers and 15 stolen bases in 60 games. What about the big league club? He logged nine games, 11 at-bats, and hit a paltry .091. Yikes.
The Mets traded for Brujan back in January, sending cash to the Minnesota Twins. His journey to the Mets has been wild, to say the least. This guy was once a top prospect in the Rays system, but it seems every time he got a shot, it just didn’t click. Tampa Bay eventually gave up on him, trading him to the Marlins in November 2023. Then the Marlins shipped him to the Cubs for cash less than a year later. Chicago didn’t keep him long either, and the Braves claimed him off waivers in August. Designated for assignment by Atlanta in January, he was then claimed by the Twins, only to be designated again a week later before landing with the Mets for cash. Honestly, it’s hard to see this light-hitting utility infielder sticking around at the major league level in 2027. He’s been decent enough in Syracuse, but if he signed elsewhere, would anyone really lose sleep?
Santucci Stepping Up on the Mound
On the pitching side, Jonathan Santucci got the nod for Pitcher of the Week, and he earned it. In his one start at Triple-A, he threw 5.0 innings, giving up just one hit and one earned run, with no walks and an impressive six strikeouts. Now that’s what you want to see!
His season has been a bit of a rollercoaster, though. In 19 starts at Double-A, he put up a 3.57 ERA with 120 strikeouts. But after moving to Triple-A for seven starts, his ERA jumped to 5.28, with 37 strikeouts in 29.0 innings. The good news is he’s still racking up the Ks! With the Single-A seasons wrapping up, the player pool is getting smaller, making these performances even more critical.
The Mets organization has some guys fighting to make their mark. Brujan might be playing for his future, while Santucci is showing flashes of brilliance. What’s next for these guys? Can Santucci solidify his Triple-A spot, or will Melendez’s hot bat force a call-up that bypasses the “McNeil Rule” entirely? We’ll be watching to see how these stories unfold.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Amazin’ Avenue.
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