Jacob Melton Can Become Impact Performer for Rays Improving Key Stat
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The Tampa Bay Rays lineup is going to look a lot different in 2026 than it did when the 2025 season came to a close.
Easily the biggest change will no longer be having Brandon Lowe at second base. The All-Star landed with the Pittsburgh Pirates as part of a three-team trade that also included the Houston Astros.
In that swap, the Rays added two prospects: outfielder Jacob Melton and right-handed pitcher Anderson Brito. Recently, the highly touted outfielder, who is on the cusp of being a top 100 prospect, was highlighted as a player to watch in spring training.
He is going to be given every opportunity to make the Major League roster out of spring training, but there is one area of his game that is currently holding him back from being a surefire member of the Opening Day roster: strikeouts.
Jacob Melton has to cut down on strikeouts
"There will probably be some growing pains with the bat," a team source said, via Alden Gonzalez of ESPN (subscription required), "and he'll hit some 440-foot bombs along the way."
Melton’s first taste of Big League action with the Astros in 2025 left a lot to be desired. He had 78 plate appearances and produced an underwhelming .157/.234/.186 slash line with an OPS+ of 19.
29 strikeouts were recorded, which was more than he got on base. Melton had only 11 hits and six walks drawn. The 37.2% strikeout rate that he recorded is certainly concerning, as he needs to improve his pitch recognition at the highest level.
While he didn’t qualify to make the Baseball Savant lists, too much of his hitting profile is well below average. He was pretty good when it came to Chase Rate, being right around league average, but he whiffed a ton.
Jacob Melton has strong peripherals hinting at good production
On an encouraging note, he did have an above-average Hard-Hit Percentage and Bat Speed. Both of those things were on full display in the minor leagues, where he regularly crushed the baseball.
He had an impressive .286/.389/.556 slash line in 150 plate appearances with Triple-A Sugar Land in the Houston farm system. Six home runs and 16 doubles were recorded with 12 stolen bases, showcasing his power/speed combination.
As shared by Thomas Nestico on X, his power was legitimate in the minor leagues, and he showcased elite plate discipline and pitch recognition. His data was off the charts for the most part.
Jacob Melton (acquired by TB) is a borderline Top 100 Prospect who shattered AAA with jaw-dropping power and strong plate discipline metrics. His MLB was not as fruitful, but there is a lot to dream on with these underlying stats pic.twitter.com/c7U3WAicEo
— Thomas Nestico (@TJStats) December 19, 2025
Expecting that to translate immediately to the Major Leagues would be unfair, but the potential is certainly there. Melton is going to have a chance to earn a spot right out of the gate, but even if he doesn’t make the Big League club right from spring training, he will almost certainly be up in The Show at some point in 2026.
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Kenneth Teape is an alumnus of SUNY Old Westbury and graduated in 2013 with an Honors Degree in Media Communications with a focus on print journalism. During his time at Old Westbury, he worked for the school newspaper and several online publications, such as Knicks Now, the official website of the New York Knicks, and a self-made website with fellow students, Gotham City Sports News. Kenneth has also been a site expert at Empire Writes Back, Musket Fire, and Lake Show Life within the FanSided Network. He was a contributor to HoopsHabit, with work featured on Bleacher Report and Yardbarker. Previously, he is a reporter for both NBA Analysis Network and NFL Analysis Network, as well as a writer and editor for Packers Coverage. You can follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @teapester725, or reach him via email at teapester725@gmail.com.