Houston Astros Prospect Profile: Jacob Melton
Jacob Melton – OF
HT/WT: 6’3″/208 | Bat/Throw: L/L | School: Oregon State | DOB: 09/07/00
Overview:
Melton, a 6’3”, 210-pound outfielder from Oregon State, was selected by the Astros in the second round of the 2022 draft after a stellar junior season in which he slashed .360/.424/.671 with 22 doubles, 17 home runs, and 21 stolen bases, earning Pac-12 Player of the Year honors. A left-handed hitter and plus athlete, Melton impacts the game both offensively and defensively.
At the plate, he shows an advanced approach and above-average power—potentially plus—as he consistently makes hard contact, though some swing-and-miss remains in his game. On the bases and in the outfield, he’s a plus runner with the speed and instincts to remain in center field long-term. Despite battling nagging injuries in 2025, Melton impressed enough to earn a call-up and make his major league debut with the Astros.
Baseball America had the following to say about Melton: “Melton is an athletic outfielder with average or better tools across the board and a sneaky power-speed combination. Melton sets up at the plate slightly open, employing a moderate leg kick and busy hands as he moves into his load. He has above-average bat-to-ball skills, showing the ability to hit fastballs and breaking pitches of all types. He’s an above-average defender in center and is plus on the corners. Melton’s arm is merely average, but he does a good job getting the ball back into the infield.”
Articles:
Checking in with 2022 Second Round Pick Jacob Melton
Astros Draft Jacob Melton #64 Overall
Stats (via BRef):
| Year | Age | Tm | Lg | Lev | Aff | G | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 21 | Oregon State | P12 | NCAA | 63 | 295 | 261 | 66 | 94 | 22 | 4 | 17 | 83 | 21 | 1 | 26 | 51 | .360 | .424 | .670 | 1.094 | |
| 2022 | 21 | Fayetteville | CARL | A | HOU | 19 | 85 | 71 | 11 | 23 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 13 | 4 | 2 | 11 | 20 | .324 | .424 | .577 | 1.001 |
| 2022 | 21 | Astros Blue | FCL | Rk | HOU | 4 | 17 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| 2023 | 22 | Corpus Christi | TL | AA | HOU | 13 | 56 | 52 | 10 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 13 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 16 | .250 | .304 | .558 | .861 |
| 2023 | 22 | Asheville | SALL | A+ | HOU | 86 | 393 | 344 | 73 | 84 | 16 | 1 | 18 | 42 | 41 | 7 | 48 | 83 | .244 | .338 | .453 | .792 |
| 2024 | 23 | Sugar Land | PCL | AAA | HOU | 47 | 189 | 173 | 27 | 45 | 10 | 0 | 5 | 20 | 11 | 0 | 13 | 48 | .260 | .314 | .405 | .718 |
| 2024 | 23 | Corpus Christi | TL | AA | HOU | 58 | 248 | 226 | 32 | 56 | 10 | 2 | 10 | 34 | 19 | 4 | 18 | 56 | .248 | .306 | .442 | .749 |
| 2025 | 24 | Sugar Land | PCL | AAA | HOU | 24 | 104 | 88 | 15 | 24 | 12 | 0 | 3 | 11 | 6 | 2 | 14 | 24 | .273 | .369 | .511 | .880 |
| 2025 | 24 | HOU | AL | Maj | HOU | 13 | 37 | 34 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 14 | .206 | .270 | .265 | .535 |
Notes/Transactions:
07/26/22 – Signed with Astros
08/13/22 – Assigned to Fayetteville (Single-A)
04/03/23 – Assigned to Asheville (High-A)
08/29/23 – Assigned to Corpus Christi (Double-A)
07/25/24 – Assigned to Sugar Land (Triple-A)
06/01/25 – Called up by Houston
08/01/25 – Optioned to Sugar Land (Triple-A)
Highlights:
First extra base hit for the rookie!#BuiltForThis pic.twitter.com/vWOjcEde9C
— Houston Astros (@astros) June 14, 2025
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