The Kansas City Royals did not tender contracts to outfielder MJ Melendez and right-handed reliever Taylor Clarke for the 2026 season, sending both players to free agency, the team announced on Friday. The decision came ahead of MLB's non-tender deadline, which required teams to offer contracts to arbitration-eligible players or let them enter the open market.
Melendez was once a top prospect in the Royals’ system, selected in the second round of the 2017 MLB Draft. He made his major league debut in 2022 and spent four seasons with the Royals. However, the past two seasons have been challenging for the former catcher turned outfielder. In 2025, the 26-year-old appeared in 23 games with the Royals, managing just a .083 batting average (5-for-60) and posting a -14 wRC+. Moreover, Melendez struck out in 35.4% of his plate appearances and recorded only one home run and RBI.
The struggling outfielder spent the majority of the year at Triple-A Omaha, where he hit .261 with 20 home runs, 64 RBIs, and an .813 OPS. Melendez showed occasional power over the past three seasons, hitting 18 homers in 2022, 16 in 2023, and 17 in 2024, yet his major league batting average never exceeded .235. His exit now opens a 40-man roster slot for Kansas City.
Clarke, meanwhile, had a more productive 2025 season, achieving a career-best 3.25 ERA in 51 appearances after returning to the Royals organization on a minor league deal. He threw 55.1 innings with a 3.97 FIP, 0.85 WHIP, and limited opponents to a .194 batting average.
The 32-year-old excelled in the latter half of the season, as he posted a 1.82 ERA, 0.81 WHIP, and .178 BAA. Despite this, Kansas City opted not to tender him a projected $1.9 million arbitration contract. Clarke will enter free agency alongside other relievers like Hunter Harvey and Sam Long, as the Royals look to reshape their bullpen, including adding Alex Lange to compete for a spot in 2026.
Earlier in the day, the Royals signed Jonathan India to an $8 million one-year deal and James McArthur to a one-year $810,000 contract. Kansas City’s 40-man roster now stands at 38, leaving two spots to fill as the team heads into the Winter Meetings in early December.
