Melendez debut is spectacular

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – When High Point Rockers manager Jamie Keefe signed infielder Ivan Melendez on Tuesday, he knew he was getting a potential impact player.

How much of an impact Melendez could make became obvious on Wednesday night as the former consensus college player of the year at the University of Texas collected four hits including two doubles and two home runs and drove in five runs in leading the Rockers to an 11-4 win over the Charleston Dirty Birds night at GoMart Park.

Melendez, who started at third base, stoked the Rockers to a 1-0 lead in the second inning when the clean-up hitter hit the second pitch he saw out of the park to left. After adding a lead-off double off the wall in the fourth, Melendez hit another double in the fifth, one of three straight doubles by the Rockers in a four-run fifth inning. He finished with a three-run homer in the eighth.

David Hess (W, 3-3) went five innings, allowing five hits and two runs while walking one and striking out five.

Not to be lost in Melendez’s debut, Ryan McCarthy collected two hits and drove in three runs for the Rockers who pounded out 11 hits on the night.

Also making his professional debut on Wednesday is former Georgia Tech hurler Caden Spivey who closed out the game with a one-two-three inning in the ninth inning.

The Rockers are now 19-25 on the season while Charleston falls to 13-31.

Melendez was the second round pick of the Arizona Diamondbacks and had reached Class AAA level last year. He had been playing in Veracruz in the Mexican League until recently. In 2022, the El Paso, Texas native won the Dick Howser Trophy and received national player of the year honors from Baseball America, DI Baseball, Collegiate Baseball and the American Baseball Coaches Association.

“It took us a while to get him here but he’s the guy we wanted,” said Keefe. “He is fun to watch. Has a very professional approach to hitting. And, most importantly, he’s happy to be here. He fits right in with the guys.”

The same two teams will play the third game of the six-game series on Wednesday at 6:35 p.m. at GoMart Park. Rocker fans can follow the action on DugoutTV.org or on the free audio app MixLR.