Jackson Melián

Jackson Melián
Outfielder
Born: January 7, 1980
Barcelona, Venezuela
Bats: Right Throws: Right

Jackson Melián (born January 7, 1980 in Barcelona, Venezuela) is a former minor league baseball outfielder. A top prospect, Melián received a large signing bonus from the New York Yankees, but he never played in Major League Baseball.

Career

Melián, represented by Scott Boras, was signed as an international free agent by the New York Yankees in 1996, receiving a $1.6 million bonus.[1]

Melián was considered a top prospect. He was rated by Baseball America as a Top 100 prospect four times: in 1997 (#40), 1998 (#98), 1999 (#72) and 2000 (#72). Melián was selected to play in the 2000 All-Star Futures Game.

Tragedy struck Melian in 1998 when his parents were killed in a car accident while following their son's team bus in Hickory NC.[2] Two years before it he signed contract with New York Yankees.[3]

In 2000, Melián was traded by the Yankees with Drew Henson, Ed Yarnall and Brian Reith to the Cincinnati Reds for Denny Neagle and Mike Frank. Prior to the 2002 season, he was claimed on waivers by the Milwaukee Brewers from the Reds. On June 9, 2002, he was traded by the Brewers to the Chicago Cubs for Robert Machado. He signed with the Yankees as a minor league free gent prior to the 2004 season, but was traded to the Atlanta Braves on June 24. He signed as a minor league free agent with the Detroit Tigers prior to the 2007 and 2008 seasons.

In 2014 he returned to Venezuela where played for Caribes de Anzoátegui winning 3-2 against Tiburones de La Guaira.[4]

Personal

Melián's father, Vincent Melián, was a long-time scout for the Atlanta Braves and lifelong fan of the Yankees.[1] He named Melián after Reggie Jackson.[1]

Melián considered pursuing an Olympic swimming career, instead opting to play baseball.[1]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Jack Curry (July 4, 1996). "Baseball - Yankees Give Bonus Baby 1.6 million". The New York Times. Archived from the original on May 30, 2014.
  2. ↑ Charean Williams (April 21, 1999). "Battling More Than Fastballs". Orlando Sentinel. Archived from the original on May 30, 2014. Retrieved May 30, 2014.
  3. ↑ Jack Curry (May 29, 1996). "Yankees Hotly Pursue A 16-Year-Old Phenom". The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 26, 2014. Retrieved May 30, 2014.
  4. ↑ "Caribes venció a Tiburones en el inaugural" [Caribes beat Tiburones during the inaugural]. El Universal (in Spanish). October 9, 2014. Retrieved October 12, 2014.

External links