Scouting Report

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Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 50 | Run: 60 | Arm: 55 | Field: 55 | Overall: 50

After a stellar high school career at South Bedford High School in Oregon, Melton began his college career at Linn-Benton Community College, also in the Beaver State. From there, Melton moved on to Oregon State and after barely playing in the shortened 2020 season, he hit .404 over 32 games in 2021. He’s continued to swing the bat well in 2022 while becoming the everyday center fielder.

Melton has the chance to do some damage from the left side of the plate. He has an advanced approach at the plate and makes a ton of contact. He also has a good amount of juice to his pull side, and he’s tapped into that power even more in 2022, leading some scouts to think he might have better than average pop in the future. A plus runner, Melton can take the extra base and is an efficient basestealer as well.

In 2021, Melton showed that not only is he capable of playing center and the outfield corners, but he saw a good amount of time at first base as well. He has a good chance of sticking up the middle now, however, with a strong enough arm for right should the need arise.

Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 50 | Run: 60 | Arm: 55 | Field: 55 | Overall: 55

After spending his first college season at Linn-Benton (Ore.) CC and having his first two years at Oregon State truncated by the pandemic and an injury to his non-throwing shoulder, Melton won Pacific-12 Conference player of the year honors and set Beavers records with 83 RBIs and 175 total bases in 2022. He surprisingly dropped to the end of the second round, where Houston snapped him up with a $1 million bonus, and he batted .245/.335/.467 with 23 homers and 46 steals in 99 games in his first full pro season in 2023. When the Astros were negotiating the Justin Verlander trade with the Mets last summer, they preferred to give up Top 100 prospects Drew Gilbert and Ryan Clifford so they could hold onto Melton.

Melton still doesn't have a classic left-handed swing, but Houston has helped him streamline it and tone down a big leg kick that he had in college. His strength and bat speed create plus raw power that plays to all fields, and his mechanical changes have enabled him to drive the ball in the air more consistently. He struggled against southpaws and did most of his damage at the friendly confines of High-A Asheville in 2023, but he also produced outstanding underlying metrics in terms of swing decisions, consistency of hard contact and exit velocity.

Melton has plus speed and uses it well, stealing 46 bases in 53 attempts last year. His quickness gives him solid range in center field and he has a better chance to remain up the middle with 2022 first-rounder Gilbert departing in the Verlander deal. He also fits the right-field profile with his offensive upside and solid arm strength.

Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 55 | Run: 60 | Arm: 55 | Field: 55 | Overall: 50 

Melton began his college career at Linn-Benton CC (Ore.) in 2019, then had the pandemic and an injury to his non-throwing shoulder cut his first two seasons at Oregon State short. He finally got a chance to show what he could do in 2022 and won Pacific-12 Conference player of the year honors, batting .360/.424/.670 with 17 homers, 22 steals and school records for total bases (175) and RBIs (83). The Astros had him in their first-round mix and were stunned to get him in the second round, where he signed for $1 million. 

Though Melton employs a big leg kick and has a left-handed stroke with a lot of moving parts, he regularly barreled balls in college without showing any obvious weakness at the plate. There are questions about how his unorthodox hitting mechanics and aggressive approach will translate to pro ball, though he did continue to rake in three weeks in Single-A during his pro debut. His strength and bat speed create at least plus raw power to all fields, and he'll get the most out of it if he can drive the ball in the air more consistently. 

Melton has at least 20-20 potential thanks to his plus speed and will flash plus-plus run times on occasion. His quickness also helps him cover ground in center field and he has a better chance to stay there in the long run after Houston sent 2022 first-rounder Drew Gilbert to the Mets in the Justin Verlander trade. With his solid arm strength and offensive upside, Melton will have no trouble fitting the profile in right field should he have to move.

Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 55 | Run: 60 | Arm: 55 | Field: 55 | Overall: 50

After spending his first college season at Linn-Benton CC (Ore.) and barely playing at Oregon State during pandemic-shortened 2020, Melton started to emerge as an offensive force in 2021 before an injury to his non-throwing shoulder ended that season in April. He came back and won Pacific-12 Conference player of the year honors in 2022, hitting .360/.424/.670 with 17 homers and 22 steals and setting school records for total bases (175) and RBIs (83). The Astros were astonished to find him available with the 64th overall pick and signed him in the second round for $1 million.

Melton is loaded with tools but comes with questions about how his hitting ability will translate to pro ball because he has an aggressive approach and unorthodox hitting mechanics. His left-handed swing has a lot of moving parts, but he has consistently barreled balls the past two years without showing any obvious weakness at the plate. His strength and bat speed give him at least plus raw power that plays to all fields.

A quality athlete, Melton has at least plus speed and will flash plus-plus run times on occasion. He uses his quickness well, stealing and taking extra bases and covering ground in center field. He should be able to stick in center but also has the solid arm strength and offensive profile to shift to right field if needed, perhaps in deference to Houston 2022 first-rounder Drew Gilbert.

Awards

MiLB.com Organization All-Star

Year	Team
2023

Transactions

Team	Date	Transaction
	07/25/2024	OF Jacob Melton assigned to Sugar Land Space Cowboys from Corpus Christi Hooks.
	03/07/2024	Houston Astros Prospects activated OF Jacob Melton.
	01/19/2024	Houston Astros invited non-roster OF Jacob Melton to spring training.
	08/29/2023	OF Jacob Melton assigned to Corpus Christi Hooks from Asheville Tourists.
	08/29/2023	Corpus Christi Hooks activated OF Jacob Melton.
	08/29/2023	Corpus Christi Hooks activated OF Jacob Melton.
	04/03/2023	OF Jacob Melton assigned to Asheville Tourists from Fayetteville Woodpeckers.
	02/26/2023	OF Jacob Melton assigned to Houston Astros.
	02/26/2023	OF Jacob Melton roster status changed by Houston Astros.
	08/13/2022	OF Jacob Melton assigned to Fayetteville Woodpeckers from FCL Astros Blue.
	08/04/2022	OF Jacob Melton assigned to FCL Astros Blue.
	07/26/2022	Houston Astros signed OF Jacob Melton.