Former D-backs Fan-Favorite Slugger Finds New Home in Mexican League

A former notable Arizona Diamondbacks prospect and hard-hitting infielder is moving on in his baseball journey.

Corner infielder and designated hitter Ivan Melendez, who had been a fan-favorite in the Diamondbacks' organization, has signed with the Mexican League team El Aguila de Veracruz, according to the transaction log on Melendez's player page.

Melendez, 26, had been released from the Diamondbacks' organization in late April, in what was somewhat of a surprising transaction at the time.

Former Diamondbacks slugger Ivan Melendez signs with Mexican League team

Reno Aces first baseman Ivan Melendez, a native of El Paso and former Coronado High School standout, plays against the El Paso Chihuahuas on April 22, 2026. | Omar Ornelas/El Paso Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Melendez went unsigned for just over three weeks, and appears to have gone without much interest from any MLB organization in the process. He'll head south to try and regain a handle on his power stroke.

The Diamondbacks drafted Melendez with the fourth pick in the second round of the 2022 MLB Draft out of the University of Texas. His big bat immediately became an intriguing one to watch in Arizona, earning him a top-10 prospect status in 2023 and 2024.

The big 6-foot-1, 245-pound slugging infielder once hit 30 home runs over the course of a minor league season, doing so between High-A and Double-A in 2023. It looked like the D-backs had a future slugging star on their hands, but a major swing-and-miss issue somewhat dampened his production in his minor league career.

Still, he was quite productive in 2025 with the Amarillo Sod Poodles, clubbing 16 homers in 71 games. That earned him a long-awaited jump to the Triple-A level. Once he arrived with the Reno Aces, he hit .292/.347/.483 in his first taste of Triple-A action with two homers.

Though that looks like a productive line, it was only worth a 94 wRC+ (where 100 is league average), due to the extreme offensive environment.

Melendez began the 2026 season with an ugly .222/.280/.378 slash and a sky-high 32% strikeout rate. That all added up to an ugly 52 wRC+, as he punched out 16 times over the course of just 12 games, while only managing to work three walks in the process.

It was that swing-and-miss plus strikeout issue that likely played the largest factor in Arizona's decision to ultimately part with Melendez, on top of the fact that he provided little to no defensive value at first and third base. He profiled as primarily a DH for the majority of his time in the Diamondbacks' system.

But now, Melendez will head to Mexico to begin a new chapter of his career. El Aguila de Veracruz finished 44-48 in 2025, fourth in the Mexican League south division.

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