Scouting Report

Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 40 | Run: 50 | Arm: 50 | Field: 45 | Overall: 45

Originally signed by the Brewers in January 2021 for $800,000, Mendez made a very strong first impression, hitting his way from the Dominican Summer League to the United States and the Arizona Complex League during his summer debut. After holding his own as one of the younger regulars in Single-A and High-A in 2022 and 2023 -- missing time with leg issues in ‘23 -- he was sent to the Phillies for Oliver Dunn during that offseason. Returning to the High-A level with his new organization, he put up solid numbers, albeit without a ton of impact, in 2024. It was more of the same during his first taste of Double-A in 2025, and he was sent to the Twins at the Trade Deadline in the Harrison Bader deal.

A 6-foot-3 left-handed hitter, Mendez has some traits in the box that are easy to like. His batted ball profile is good, limiting swing-and-miss and chase and registering a solid hard-hit rate (43.1 percent). The one thing he needs to do is learn how to get the ball in the air more, after registering a ground ball rate over 60 percent in '24, and 52.7 percent in 2025 at the time of the trade, so he can get to some of his raw power. 

An average runner at best, Mendez is a fringy outfield defender who is serviceable in a corner. He’s played more right field than anything but left might be the best spot for him when all is said and done. He’s just 21 for the 2025 season so there is hopefully time for him to take his approach and contact skills to the next level to give him the chance to grow into an offensive profile of an every day corner outfielder.

Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 40 | Run: 50 | Arm: 50 | Field: 50 | Overall: 40

Mendez began his pro career with the Brewers in 2021 after he signed that January for $800,000 and wasted no time making a strong first impression. He quickly hit his way from the Dominican Summer League to the Arizona Complex League that first summer, finishing with a combined .879 OPS. He held his own at age 18 in full-season ball in 2022, but he didn’t swing the bat as well with a push up to High-A in 2023, as leg issues forced him to miss a chunk of the season. He made up for some lost at-bats in the Arizona Fall League and then came to the Phillies with Robert Moore in a trade for Oliver Dunn.

The left-handed-hitting Mendez’s best trait continues to be his knack for contact. He carries a 14.3 percent strikeout rate with him into his first season with the Phillies, and he’s walked nearly as much (11.9 percent). What he hasn’t done is make consistent quality contact. There is some raw power and bat speed in there, and strength to come as he matures. He’s going to have to learn not to pound the ball into the ground (61.5 percent combined ground-ball rate in 2022 and '23).

While Mendez is a solid athlete for his size, he’s likely going to slow down as he matures. He’s already moved to a corner, playing more right field than left to date. Still only 20 for the 2024 season, he’s going to have to learn how to add some loft to his swing to fit the corner outfield profile.

Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 40 | Run: 50 | Arm: 50 | Field: 50 | Overall: 40

Having signed with the Brewers for $800,000 on Jan. 15, 2021, Mendez shot out of the gate in the Dominican Summer League that subsequent season, most notably hitting .296 while striking out in only two of his 64 DSL plate appearances. Milwaukee pushed the then-17-year-old stateside, where he was again an impressive performer with a .333 average and .885 OPS over 19 games in Arizona – earning himself an honor as the 2021 Brewers Complex Player of the Year. Having been 18 for the entire season, he was the youngest player to meet the qualifying standard at Single-A in 2022 and held his own with a .244/.357/.318 line and 98 wRC+ in 105 games with Carolina. He missed time in 2023 with leg issues and didn’t swing the bat as well as a teenager in High-A. He was one of the youngest participants in the Arizona Fall League and then was sent with Robert Moore to the Phillies in return for Oliver Dunn.

Mendez’s ability to make contact still drives his offensive profile. His 15.7 percent K rate was sixth-lowest among the 109 Single-A qualifiers in 2022, while his 6.1 swinging-strike rate (whiffs per pitches faced) was second-lowest. It isn’t exactly loud contact, however, because the current angle of his swing tends to drive the ball directly into the ground. His 62.5 percent ground-ball rate was second-highest among the 609 Minor Leaguers from all levels with at least 400 plate appearances. And while there is some physical strength likely coming, it’ll take a swing change to incorporate into game pop.

An average runner with just an average arm, he’s already been forced to the corner outfield in his early pro days, and while he was the primary right fielder for Carolina last year, he might be best served in left. Mendez will still only be 20 years old for all of the 2024 season, so there’s time for him to better round out his profile in his new organization.

Scouting grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 50 | Speed: 45 | Arm: 50 | Field: 50 | Overall: 45

Shortly after shooting up to 6-foot-2 in stature, Mendez signed with the Brewers on Jan. 15, 2021, at the start of the international window, and the Dominican Republic native instantly took to pro ball because of an incredible ability to make contact. He struck out just twice in 138 plate appearances in the Dominican Summer League while hitting .296 in the same span, prompting an early stateside move at just 17 years old. He more than held his own in the Arizona Complex League with a .333/.425/.460 and 10/10 K/BB ratio in 19 games, and the Brewers rewarded him with their 2021 Complex Player of the Year award.

The left-handed slugger mixes up how he faces pitchers, using a toe tap against right-handers and a leg kick against fellow southpaws. The strategy seems to work based on his bat-to-ball skills and ability to spray the ball all over the diamond this early in his career. He didn’t show a ton of power in the early Minor League looks (one homer in 37 hits), in part because of some severe groundball rates. Experience and some approach tweaks geared toward lifting the ball could get him to average pop. He was primarily a corner outfielder in Arizona, and while he moves decently well now, he’ll likely slow down enough in time to stay away from center.

Mendez certainly put his name on the map in 2021. He remains a far-away lottery ticket, but one that seems much closer to hitting based on his elite contact rates. Anything approaching decent power would go a long way toward making him into an impact corner outfielder.

Scouting grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 50 | Speed: 45 | Arm: 50 | Field: 50 | Overall: 40

Mendez shot up in height to a listed 6-foot-2 shortly before signing with the Brewers out of the Dominican Republic when the latest international window opened last Jan. 15. It didn’t take long for the teenager to show his addition was about more than just projectability. Mendez batted .296/.391/.481 with seven extra-base hits and only two strikeouts in 64 plate appearances in the Dominican Summer League, prompting a mid-August promotion stateside. He handled himself just as well in the Arizona Complex League, where he produced a .333/.425/.460 line and 10/10 K/BB ratio in 74 plate appearances. His combined DSL and ACL efforts earned him honors as the Brewers’ 2021 Complex Player of the Year.

Batting from the left side, Mendez already shows promising bat speed, using a toe tap against righties and a bigger leg kick against lefties to stay back on pitches from both sides. He doesn’t show much in-game power just yet -- hitting one homer in 40 games this summer -- but his size and ability to barrel balls could lead to average pop in time. He played center field in the DSL, but moved primarily to the corners once arriving in Arizona, and his average-at-best speed, which could slow down as he matures, will likely keep him there moving forward.

Mendez draws strong reviews from Milwaukee brass for a work ethic that has enabled him to take off this early in his career, and it’s notable that they believed he was ready to see stateside ball so quickly. He remains a lottery ticket, however, because of the long road ahead of him, and there will be more pressure on the bat to fulfill its early promise, given his likely eventual destination of left field.

Awards

EAS Post-Season All-Star

Year	Team
2025

Transactions

Team	Date	Transaction
	11/18/2025	Minnesota Twins selected the contract of OF Hendry Mendez from Wichita Wind Surge.
	09/10/2025	OF Hendry Mendez assigned to Peoria Javelinas.
	08/01/2025	Wichita Wind Surge activated OF Hendry Mendez.
	07/31/2025	Minnesota Twins traded LF Harrison Bader to Philadelphia Phillies for RHP Geremy Villoria and OF Hendry Mendez.
	07/31/2025	OF Hendry Mendez assigned to Wichita Wind Surge.
	07/22/2025	Reading Fightin Phils activated OF Hendry Mendez.
	07/14/2025	Reading Fightin Phils transferred OF Hendry Mendez to the Development List.
	03/31/2025	OF Hendry Mendez assigned to Reading Fightin Phils from Jersey Shore BlueClaws.
	03/06/2025	activated OF Hendry Mendez.
	03/02/2025	OF Hendry Mendez assigned to Philadelphia Phillies.
	05/14/2024	Jersey Shore BlueClaws activated LF Hendry Mendez from the 7-day injured list.
	05/07/2024	Jersey Shore BlueClaws placed LF Hendry Mendez on the 7-day injured list retroactive to May 6, 2024.
	11/14/2023	Philadelphia Phillies traded 2B Oliver Dunn to Milwaukee Brewers for LF Hendry Mendez and SS Robert Moore.
	11/14/2023	LF Hendry Mendez assigned to Jersey Shore BlueClaws.
	09/22/2023	Surprise Saguaros activated LF Hendry Mendez.
	09/22/2023	Surprise Saguaros activated LF Hendry Mendez.
	06/26/2023	Wisconsin Timber Rattlers sent LF Hendry Mendez on a rehab assignment to ACL Brewers.
	05/12/2023	Wisconsin Timber Rattlers placed LF Hendry Mendez on the 7-day injured list retroactive to May 11, 2023.
	05/06/2023	Wisconsin Timber Rattlers activated LF Hendry Mendez from the 7-day injured list.
	04/20/2023	Wisconsin Timber Rattlers placed LF Hendry Mendez on the 7-day injured list.
	04/02/2023	LF Hendry Mendez assigned to Wisconsin Timber Rattlers from Carolina Mudcats.
	02/26/2023	LF Hendry Mendez roster status changed by Milwaukee Brewers.
	02/26/2023	LF Hendry Mendez assigned to Milwaukee Brewers.
	02/26/2023	LF Hendry Mendez roster status changed by Milwaukee Brewers.
	04/04/2022	LF Hendry Mendez and assigned to Carolina Mudcats from ACL Brewers Blue.
	08/16/2021	LF Hendry Mendez assigned to ACL Brewers Blue from DSL Brewers1.
	07/10/2021	LF Hendry Mendez assigned to DSL Brewers1.
	01/15/2021	Milwaukee Brewers signed free agent OF Hendry Mendez to a minor league contract.