MACK – Hot Bats – Trey Snyder, ML Melendez, Julio Zayas

 

PERIOD:    7/8  - 7/17

 

J.T. Schwartz/AA-Binghamton - .429/.579/.500/1.079

 

PERIOD:   7/13 – 7/22

 

Trey Snyder/A-St. Lucie - .632/.636/1.105/1.741, 1-HR, 10-RBI, 12-H

Trey Snyder is a 20-year-old shortstop (born September 21, 2005) in the New York Mets organization. He was drafted by the Mets in the 5th round (144th overall) of the 2024 MLB Draft out of Liberty North High School in Liberty, Missouri.

A three-sport athlete (football, basketball, baseball) in high school, he stood out as one of Missouri’s top prep prospects.

In his senior season, he hit .391 with 7 home runs, 36 RBIs, 46 runs, and 22 stolen bases in 40 games. He earned Missouri Gatorade Baseball Player of the Year honors.

He had committed to the University of Tennessee but signed with the Mets for an above-slot bonus of $1,322,500 (slot value was around $476,200).

Physical: 6'1", 197 lbs, right-handed batter and thrower.

Offense: Mature approach with good contact skills, line-drive swing, and emerging power (scouts see 15-20 HR potential as he adds strength). He uses a slight leg lift and has shown high exit velocities.

Defense: Athletic shortstop with quick reactions, smooth hands, quick transfer, and a strong/accurate arm (up to 93 mph). He has the tools to stay at SS but could shift to 2B or 3B if he fills out further.

Overall, he's viewed as a high-upside, toolsy prep prospect with five-tool potential, though still raw as a high school draftee.

Professional Career (as of mid-2026) He has primarily played with the Mets' Single-A affiliate, the St. Lucie Mets (Florida State League).Key Minor League Stats:2024 (limited debut): .182 AVG in 6 games with St. Lucie (quick promotion after signing).

2025: .220/.336/.288 in 115 games — showed speed (41 SB) but modest power (5 HR).

2026 (partial season): Strong start with .310–.323 AVG in limited action, good OBP, and speed before an injury.

He dealt with a 60-day IL stint early in 2026 but was activated in early June. He has also earned Player of the Week honors in St. Lucie and hit his first home run of the 2026 season.

Snyder is a promising but developmental prospect (projected ETA around 2028). He’s still early in his career and working to translate his tools and high school success into consistent minor league production.

 

ML Melendez/AAA-Syracuse - .467/.579/1.067/1.646, 3-HR, 6-RBI, 7-H

MJ Melendez (full name: Mervyl Samuel Melendez Jr.) is a professional baseball outfielder/left fielder (with experience at catcher and some first base) currently with the New York Mets.

He was born on November 29, 1998 (age 27 as of 2026) in Daytona Beach, Florida. He bats left and throws right, stands 6'0" and weighs about 190 lbs.

Drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the 2nd round (52nd overall) of the 2017 MLB Draft out of Westminster Christian School in Miami, Florida. He was a highly regarded prospect early on, rising to top-100 status (peaking around #35–51) before his 2022 debut, initially as a catcher.

Spent his entire career with the Royals organization until 2025. He transitioned primarily to the outfield due to the presence of Salvador Perez behind the plate.

MLB Debut: May 3, 2022, with the Royals.

After a down 2025 season (limited MLB time and poor results), he was non-tendered by Kansas City and became a free agent.

Signed a one-year, $1.5 million split contract (with up to $500K in incentives) with the New York Mets in February 2026. He began the season at Triple-A Syracuse but was called up in mid-April.

Melendez is a left-handed power bat with strikeout tendencies but also some plate discipline and versatility. He has shown flashes of strong power in the minors and early MLB years but has struggled with consistency at the major league level.

Modest on-base and slugging percentages (career OPS in the .680 range)

In 2026 with the Mets (partial season): He started hot with some extra-base hits (including two doubles off Shohei Ohtani in his Mets debut) and even hit a walk-off homer, but overall numbers were modest (.192/.315/.350 range in limited action). He has been shuttling between the majors and Triple-A Syracuse.

He is a low-risk depth/versatile outfield addition for the Mets, providing lefty power, corner outfield play, occasional first base, and emergency catching. As of mid-2026, he remains on the 40-man roster and has been optioned/recall-eligible depending on roster needs.

 

PERIOD:   7/13  -  7/22

Julio Zayas/A-St. Lucie - .364/.462/1.000/1.462, 2-HR, 2-RBI, 4-H

Julio Jorge Zayas is a 20-year-old catching prospect (born February 16, 2006, in Pimentel, Dominican Republic) in the New York Mets organization. He bats and throws right-handed, stands 5'11" and weighs 190 lbs. The Mets signed him as an international free agent (UDFA) on January 15, 2023.

2023: Dominated in the Dominican Summer League (DSL Mets Orange) as a 17-year-old — .307 AVG, 7 HR, strong power and contact.

2024–2025: Played in the Florida Complex League (FCL Mets, rookie level), showing solid plate discipline and gap power but fewer home runs.

2026: Promoted to Single-A St. Lucie Mets. As of mid-2026, he was hitting around .234–.246 with 3 HR in roughly 145–232 AB, plus decent on-base skills. He has also appeared at 1B in the past.

Career Minor League Batting (approx. through mid-2026): Roughly .270 AVG, 14 HR, solid OBP in the .36–.37 range, but limited speed (only 1 SB).

Zayas is a legitimate catching prospect with a good hit tool for his age, some power potential, and the ability to draw walks. Like many young catchers, he is still developing defensively and adjusting to higher levels (strikeouts have ticked up a bit in Single-A). He is not yet on most top-30 Mets prospect lists (the system has several higher-profile arms and position players), but he is a name to watch as he climbs the ladder.

He also threw 2 innings in a blow out St Lucie loss recently, just as an aside, allowing 5 runs. Some pitcher do worse. I watched a little video…he won’t be trading careers for the mound any time soon.