Manuel Melendez may not be the first name you think of when you name off hitters in the Rockies system, but the 20-year-old outfielder may be starting to demand to be part of the conversation.
Melendez, an international signee in 2014, made his state side debut last summer in Grand Junction where he hit .294 with seven home runs. Add in his 24 stolen bases and the Rockies may have an outstanding lead off prospect moving through their system.
He added to that last night with a 3-for-5 night, knocking a double and swiping two bags in Asheville’s 4-2 defeat to Greenville.
The Tourists talented lineup spent most of the night struggling but Melendez overcame his early season stumbles to anchor the lineup on off nights for most of the bats.
Melendez raised his average to .256 and his stolen bases to a team leading five. The Tourists fell to 6-5 with the loss and now face Kannapolis to begin the week.
Other news and notes from around the Rockies affiliates are below:
Triple-A: Tacoma Rainiers 3, Albuquerque Isotopes 1
Jeff Hoffman (No.2 PuRP): 4 IP, 6 H, 2 K, 2 BB, 2 R
Chad Qualls: IP, K, 0 R
Double-A: OFF
Single-A Advanced: OFF
Single-A: Greenville Drive 4, Asheville Tourists 2
Colton Welker (No. 19 PuRP): 1-for-2, 2 BB
Manuel Melendez: 3-for-5, 2B, 2 SB
Max George: 1-for-3, 3B
Vince Fernandez: 1-for-4, R
Monday Probables:
Triple-A Albuquerque: Zach Jemiola (1-0, 7.94 ERA) vs. Tacoma
Double-A Hartford: Ryan Castellani (1-1, 3.27 ERA) vs. Harrisburg
Single-A Advanced Lancaster: Trey Killian (1-0, 3.27 ERA) vs. Rancho Cucamonga
Single-A Asheville: Erick Julio (1-1, 7.36 ERA) vs. Kannapolis