Royals non-tendered a former top prospect that's an ideal buy-low Angels free agent

After trading Taylor Ward, the Los Angeles Angels need to get to work re-stocking their group of outfielders. The Angels need to decide whether or not Jo Adell is a better fit in left or right field next season and beyond (if he does not end up getting traded as well), but also need to decide whether they will add a corner outfielder that's worse than him to put him at the other corner or someone better than him that might necessitate a positional change.

With the non-tender deadline coming and going, there are several worse outfielders than Adell that just hit the market. One of them would slot in well into the Angels' vacant left field and balance the lineup.

Royals non-tendered a former top prospect that's an ideal buy-low Angels free agent

MJ Melendez was a top prospect for the Kansas City Royals, known for his pop and cannon for an arm. His signature moment as a pro came in Game 1 of the 2024 ALDS, when he hit a go-ahead, two-run home run off of Gerrit Cole in the 4th inning. He long tantalized Royals fans with his smooth left-handed swing and Jo Adell-esque swing speed and exit velocities.

Unfortunately for everybody involved, that postseason home run wound up being the last great moment he had in a Royals uniform. He was non-tendered by the Royals after a 2025 season in which he slashed .083/.154/.167 in 23 MLB games and spent the majority of the season in Triple-A Omaha.

The Angels could be reticent to hand Melendez a guaranteed MLB contract, but they are in desperate need of left-handed hitters and somebody who plays left field. After the Angels non-tendered the switch-hitting Gustavo Campero, the Angels are left with Nolan Schanuel as the only left-handed hitter on the 40-man roster. Melendez could be an ideal reclamation project, and could follow Ward as the former catcher who transitioned to left field for the Halos!

Melendez is entering his age-27 season, which is known as the peak of a player's physical fitness and potential. While it was at Triple-A, Melendez did hit 20 home runs last season...however, his strikeout numbers are astronomical and that is the opposite profile that the Angels need. Perhaps a connection with Brady Anderson could unlocked Melendez's bat-to-ball skills while retaining his pop? Either way, the Angels are in no position to shoo away cheap players who are clear change-of-scenery candidates.