ADVERTISEMENT

Melendez

It’s great to see a local kid shine at a major college like UT. This kid went from Coronado HS to Odessa JC and is now a stud at UT. Hope more colleges start looking at EP HS talent.
 
It’s great to see a local kid shine at a major college like UT. This kid went from Coronado HS to Odessa JC and is now a stud at UT. Hope more colleges start looking at EP HS talent.
Kugler heavily recruited EP talent, didn't he?
 
  • Like
Reactions: MinerFan79
Kugler heavily recruited EP talent, didn't he?
Obviously, I’m referring to the top recruits EP produces. I never said to have the whole UTEP FB team comprised of EP kids. Ivan Melendez was not heavily recruited out of Coronado and has turned out to be a great player at UT. You can’t deny that the Jones brothers, Deion Hankins; Steven Montez, Paul Smith, Bryan Young, just to name a few, we’re top level EP talent. EP has some of the best talent I’ve seen in many years In players like Tavorus Jones and KJ Lewis. Wouldn't you agree?
 
Melendez just signed an NIL deal with Orangebloods, UT’s premium Rivals site:


In an effort to continue the kind of industry-leading coverage that it has been known for over the course of the last two decades, Orangebloods is excited to announce that it signed exclusive 12-month NIL deals with Texas athletes Jordan Whittington and Ivan Melendez.

"This is a historic day in the history of our industry and Orangebloods is incredibly excited and honored that both Jordan and Ivan have entrusted us with the storytelling of their upcoming seasons," Orangebloods owner/publisher Geoff Ketchum said. "Our vision for this new project is one that we believe will help carry us into the forefront of what is possible in terms of college athletics coverage.

"It's critical that we stress from the very beginning that we view this as a 10-year project and it's only going to work if we create an all-around experience for each student-athlete that ensures they never regret for a single moment that they engaged in such a landmark partnership with Orangebloods. The only way we can sign the next Jordan Whittington and Ivan Melendez is if both of these guys have a blast, while also making the kind of money to justify their commitments."

Beginning on August 1, Whittington and Melendez will make regular appearances on the Orangebloods Youtube platform, with both players scheduled to make multiple appearances each week during their respective seasons. With the start of football practice on August 6, Whittington will talk with Orangebloods following every practice, schedules permitting. Once the season begins, Whittington will appear on the Orangebloods Youtube channel multiple times each week.

As will be the case with all of the athletes that sign with Orangebloods, both Whittington and Melendez agreed to 12-month contracts that include money directly from Orangebloods and revenue-sharing from sponsorships that ensure that each athlete makes more than Orangebloods in each deal.

"We'll be making partnerships with each athlete that we deal with that has an aimed goal or ensuring they make more money on these deals than Orangebloods ever will," Ketchum said. "This is a brand new age in college athletics and our goal at Orangebloods is to be a leader, not a follower. We're going to help each athlete tell their own stories through their own eyes, away from all of the traditional media framing. Our intent is to humanize Jordan, Ivan and all of the athletes that join the Orangebloods family. We want to laugh with them and maybe even cry with them. The fact that so much is possible with this level of coverage is exciting from where I stand."

A third-year sophomore from Cuero, Whittington is expected to lead the Texas passing game in 2021 after starting two games in 2020 and finishing with 21 receptions for 206 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Formerly ranked as Rivals.com's No. 33 player in the country in 2019, Whittington is expected to be one of the breakout players in Steve Sarkisian's new offense.

Melendez was one of the primary stars on the Texas baseball team that made a deep College World Series run, completing his season by batting .313 with 13 home runs and 51 RBI in his first season with the Longhorns. The El Paso native was drafted in the 16th round by the Miami Marlins in the MLB Draft a few weeks ago, but has decided to return to Texas for his senior season.

"I'm excited to showcase what I do outside of baseball," Melendez said, "I am more than just a baseball player."

Overall, Orangebloods plans to sign more than a dozen Texas student-athletes from across all of UT's men's and women's athletics programs for the upcoming 2021-2022 school year and create a content calendar of videos on a daily basis that will change the way Longhorns fan are able to follow the program.

"Our vision is almost certainly going to be larger in scope than most people will probably imagine, " Ketchum said. "Among our immediate goals is to launch an Orangebloods channel dedicated to women's athletics. This is a much bigger idea than simply talking to football players after practice. This is about expanding the imagination of what's possible for a site like Orangebloods."
 
  • Like
Reactions: JCorona
I always cringe whenever I hear them call him the titanic, I get that it rhymes nicely with Hispanic but correct me if I’m wrong but didn’t the titanic SINK. Not a good omen if you ask me.
 
given how little the minors pay, it makes infinitely more business sense to stay within the “safety” of Texas’ NIL conglomerate. not surprised and hope the kid hits 500+ HRs in MLB
 
Who's the other EP kid that plays at SHSU that's also very good? I saw tweet about it but can't find it.
 
In what was a very Un-Melendez like week for the Golden Spikes favorite, Ivan did finally break the single-season home run record on Sunday with his 29th dinger of the season. An opposite field blast that traveled over 400 feet broke the tie between Melendez and Kyle Russell, giving the Hispanic Titanic the coveted crown. “I was just locked in on a fastball and I got a fastball to drive, made contact… he provided the power. I felt like I just barely made contact and it just jumped off my bat,” said Ivan on his historic swing. That quote about sums up Melendez. An absolutely historic tater and he basically gave the credit to the opposing pitcher for supplying the power. Ivan Melendez has enough power in his pinky finger to support all the slot machines in Las Vegas yet here he is being humble to the very end. “I felt like I just barely made contact,” and the ball soared 407 feet. Get out here that is ridiculous. It’ll never happen but once it would be great for Ivan to come out and say “I am the best to ever do it and nobody should pitch to me,” because the numbers and the eye-test would support that statement.
 
In what was a very Un-Melendez like week for the Golden Spikes favorite, Ivan did finally break the single-season home run record on Sunday with his 29th dinger of the season. An opposite field blast that traveled over 400 feet broke the tie between Melendez and Kyle Russell, giving the Hispanic Titanic the coveted crown. “I was just locked in on a fastball and I got a fastball to drive, made contact… he provided the power. I felt like I just barely made contact and it just jumped off my bat,” said Ivan on his historic swing. That quote about sums up Melendez. An absolutely historic tater and he basically gave the credit to the opposing pitcher for supplying the power. Ivan Melendez has enough power in his pinky finger to support all the slot machines in Las Vegas yet here he is being humble to the very end. “I felt like I just barely made contact,” and the ball soared 407 feet. Get out here that is ridiculous. It’ll never happen but once it would be great for Ivan to come out and say “I am the best to ever do it and nobody should pitch to me,” because the numbers and the eye-test would support that statement.
He is obviously a great hitter with good bad speed and more than enough power to negate recoil, but what he said is very true. If you can put the sweet spot of the bat (especially a metal bat) on a good fastball then it will be gone. It's just a matter of angle at that point. Congrats to Melendez.
 
  • Like
Reactions: unihorn
[the next few weeks in El Paso] "I have a friend, who has a cousin, who had a neighbor who dated and lived next to Melendez back in high school. He said "Hi" to me once".
 
From Texas Baseball:

No. 9 Texas Baseball’s Melendez named Golden Spikes Award Finalist
The Longhorns’ first baseman is one of three finalists for the national player of the year award.

AUSTIN, Texas – No. 9 Texas Baseball’s Ivan Melendez has been named a finalist for the USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award, the organization announced Wednesday. This year will celebrate the 44th Golden Spikes Award winner, honoring the top amateur baseball player in the nation who best exhibits exceptional on-field ability and exemplary sportsmanship.

The other two finalists for the award Oregon State’s Cooper Hjerpe and Georgia Tech’s Kevin Parada. The winner will be announced on June 24 on ESPN during the “College World Series Special” at 7 p.m. CT.

Melendez leads all of Division I baseball with 30 home runs, 90 RBI, an .895 slugging percentage and 204 total bases. He also ranks in the top 10 in on-base percentage and batting average. He is the first player to surpass the 30-homer mark since Golden Spikes Award winner Kris Bryant in 2013.

The El Paso, Texas, native was named the Big 12 Player of the Year after leading the league in batting average, home runs, RBI, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and OPS.

Melendez is the 10th Longhorn to be named a finalist for the Golden Spikes Award and the first since Kody Clemens got the nod in 2018.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Minerinciter
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest posts

ADVERTISEMENT