Melendez will get chance to coach son Jaylen for upcoming season
FIU’s Mervyl Melendez will finally get to coach one of his sons.
Melendez has raised a pair of highly ranked catchers — MJ and Jaylen. MJ committed to FIU, but signed instead with the Kansas City Royals after they drafted him in the second round in 2017.
Four years later, Jaylen was ranked by Baseball America as, in essence, an 11th-rounder, but he went undrafted and will instead play for FIU in 2022.
“He got some calls from pro teams, but he valued himself more than the offers he got,” Mervyl said. “He believes he will be even better in three years [for the 2024 draft].”
Jaylen, a 5-9, 170-pounder, hit .365 with five doubles, 11 homers and 39 RBI in 31 games this past season at Westminster Christian.
While Jaylen went undrafted, FIU right-hander Tyler Myrick got the call in the 14th round from the San Francisco Giants.
In addition, FIU outfielder Justin Farmer signed with the San Diego Padres as an undrafted free agent.
Myrick went 7-4 with a 5.43 ERA in 14 starts this past season. He struck out 67 batters in 71 innings. In 48 career appearances at FIU, he went 15-10 with a 4.56 ERA.
FIU’s coach said Myrick’s fastball averages about 93 mph, but has reached 97.
“I thought he could’ve gone in the top 10 rounds, but the draft is unpredictable,” Melendez said.
“He throws hard, but he’s also a strike thrower [27 walks in 2021].
“Tyler competes. They may see him more as a reliever at the pro level, but I think he will be phenomenal.”
FIU pitching coach Willie Collazo is happy Myrick is getting a pro opportunity.
“I would love to see if they use him as a starter or reliever,” Collazo said. “He has a power fastball, a hard slider and, later in this last season, he had his change-up going pretty good.”
Myrick, who had elbow surgery in June of 2018 and missed the entire 2019 season, said getting drafted was a “surreal” feeling.
“It was a relief finally seeing my name called,” said Myrick, who expects to sign a pro contract this weekend. “Before that, there was a lot of anxiety.”
Meanwhile, Farmer, in 65 games over two years at FIU, hit .303 with 13 doubles, three triples, 10 homers and 54 RBI. He also had eight steals in 10 attempts and a .903 OPS.
“San Diego is going to give him a chance to play center field in the minors,” Melendez said. “He has all five tools. He just needs to prove himself at the pro level.”
THIS AND THAT
The only FIU recruit who got drafted was right-hander Jose Pena Jr., who was selected in the sixth round by the Philadelphia Phillies.
Ex-FIU right-hander Franco Aleman, who pitched for the Florida Gators this past season, was drafted in the 10th round by the Cleveland Indians.
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