Luis Melendez

Born: 8/11/1949 in Aibonito, P.R.

MLB Debut: 1970-09-07 | Final Game: 1977-06-01

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'0" | Weight: 165 lbs

Full name: Luis Antonio Melendez

📊 Compare This Player 📈 View Career Timeline

Biography

Luis Melendez, born in 1949, was a professional baseball player who made his mark in Major League Baseball from 1970 until 1977. Known for his versatility as a position player, Melendez played a total of 641 games during his career. He recorded 366 hits, 9 home runs, and 122 RBIs, finishing his tenure with a batting average of .248. Melendez also demonstrated his speed on the bases, successfully stealing 18 bases throughout his time in the league. Emerging during a transitional period in baseball, Melendez's career unfolded amidst the evolving dynamics of the game in the 1970s, a decade that saw shifts in playing styles and the introduction of new strategies. While he may not have been a household name, Melendez contributed to his teams with solid defensive skills and a consistent, if not flashy, offensive presence. His dedication to the game and ability to perform in various roles exemplified the spirit of the era, marking him as a valuable player in the history of baseball.

Career Batting Statistics

G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	PIV
641	1477	167	366	50	13	9	122	18	109	175	0.248	0.299	0.318	0.616	-2596.8

Career AVG .248 vs. league average .255 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career OBP .299 vs. league average .323 across their career seasons — 7.4% below league average.

Career SLG .318 vs. league average .374 across their career seasons — 15.1% below league average.

Career OPS 0.616 vs. league average 0.697 across their career seasons — 11.5% below league average.

Season-by-Season Batting

Year	Team	Lg	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	Lg AVG	Lg OBP	Lg SLG	Lg OPS	PIV
1970	STL	NL	21	70	11	21	1	0	0	8	3	2	12	0.300	.253 (+18%)	.325 (-3%)	.385 (-18%)	.711 (-12%)	-136.5
1971	STL	NL	88	173	25	39	3	1	0	11	2	24	29	0.225	.249 (-10%)	.316 (+1%)	.365 (-30%)	.682 (-16%)	-389.6
1972	STL	NL	118	332	32	79	11	3	5	28	5	25	34	0.238	.243 (-2%)	.310 (-6%)	.353 (-6%)	.664 (-6%)	-370.5
1973	STL	NL	121	341	35	91	18	1	2	35	2	27	50	0.267	.256 (+4%)	.325 (-2%)	.378 (-9%)	.703 (-6%)	-395.3
1974	STL	NL	83	124	15	27	4	3	0	8	2	11	9	0.218	.256 (-15%)	.324 (-13%)	.369 (-19%)	.693 (-16%)	-385.9
1975	STL	NL	110	291	33	77	8	5	2	27	3	16	25	0.265	.257 (+3%)	.327 (-8%)	.374 (-7%)	.701 (-8%)	-488.8
1976	STL	NL	20	24	0	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	0.125	—	—	—	—	0.0
1976	SDP	NL	72	119	15	29	5	0	0	5	1	3	12	0.244	.255 (-5%)	.320 (-19%)	.360 (-21%)	.681 (-20%)	0.0
1977	SDP	NL	8	3	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	0.000	—	—	—	—	0.0

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
OF	489	331	876	21	21	5
SS	1	0	0	1	0	0

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year	Team	Pos	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
1970	SLN	OF	18	15	31	2	0	0
1971	SLN	OF	66	39	90	3	4	0
1972	SLN	OF	105	80	206	5	9	0
1973	SLN	OF	95	84	196	8	2	4
1974	SLN	OF	46	26	84	0	2	0
1974	SLN	SS	1	0	0	1	0	0
1975	SLN	OF	89	64	169	3	3	1
1976	SLN	OF	8	2	14	0	0	0
1976	SDN	OF	60	21	85	0	1	0
1977	SDN	OF	2	0	1	0	0	0