The Cleveland Guardians are saddened to announce the death of minor league catcher Andrés Meléndez who has passed away on Thursday afternoon in Miami, Florida, at the age of 20.
A member of Low-A Lynchburg in 2021, Meléndez is remembered by his teammates and friends as a positive, respectful, and thoughtful young man with a beautiful smile who had a profound impact on others.
It was not immediately clear how the young player died.
In 2018, Meléndez, who is originally from Venezuela, began his career with Milwaukee’s organization. He spent two seasons between the Brewers’ Dominican Summer and Arizona League teams before he was acquired in a trade by Cleveland in 2019.
Meléndez spent the 2021 season at Low-A Lynchburg, appearing in more than seventy games. The Guardians said they will miss Meléndez greatly.
