Jacob Melton Bio
Jacob William Melton (born September 7, 2000) is an American professional baseball outfielder for the Tampa Bay Rays of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Houston Astros. Melton played college baseball for the Oregon State Beavers and made his MLB debut with the Astros in 2025.
Early Life and Background
Jacob William Melton was born on September 7, 2000. He attended South Medford High School, where he showcased his baseball talents. During his junior season in 2017, he achieved a batting average of .453 and hit nine home runs. In his senior year of 2018, he further improved his performance, batting .513 with eight home runs and stealing 33 bases. Despite his impressive high school career, Melton went undrafted in the 2018 Major League Baseball draft and chose to enroll at Linn-Benton Community College.
Path to Baseball
At Linn-Benton Community College in 2019, Melton had a successful freshman year, batting .365 with three home runs, 39 RBIs, and 16 stolen bases over 39 games. He also played in the Western Canadian Baseball League that summer with the Okotoks Dawgs. Melton transferred to Oregon State University to continue his collegiate career. In 2020, he appeared in seven games before the season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, he faced challenges as he did not start the season in the lineup but eventually became the leadoff hitter, appearing in 32 games before a shoulder injury led to season-ending surgery. In 2022, he returned as Oregon State’s starting center fielder, achieving a remarkable season with a batting average of .360, 17 home runs, and 83 RBIs, earning the title of Pac-12 Conference Baseball Player of the Year.
Jacob Melton Career
Early Career (2019–2022)
Jacob Melton’s professional career began when the Houston Astros selected him in the second round with the 64th overall pick of the 2022 Major League Baseball draft. He signed with the Astros for $1 million. Melton made his professional debut with the rookie-level Florida Complex League Astros, where he quickly progressed to the Fayetteville Woodpeckers after just four games. Over 23 games with both affiliates, he batted .261 with four home runs and 13 RBIs. In 2023, he started the season with the Asheville Tourists and later moved up to the Double-A Corpus Christi Hooks, where he played 99 games, slashing .245/.334/.467 with 23 home runs and 55 RBIs.
Breakthrough (2025)
Melton began the 2025 season with the Triple-A Sugar Land Space Cowboys, where he played 17 games, hitting .254 with two home runs and seven RBIs. On June 1, 2025, he was selected to the 40-man roster and made his major league debut. In his first game, he started in center field and recorded his first major league hit, an infield single against Taj Bradley.
Notable Works and Milestones
Jacob Melton’s signature achievements include being named the Pac-12 Conference Baseball Player of the Year in 2022 and making a successful MLB debut with the Houston Astros in 2025.
Jacob Melton Award Nominations
Throughout his career, Jacob Melton has received recognition for his outstanding performances, including his selection as the Pac-12 Conference Baseball Player of the Year.
Jacob Melton Awards Won
Jacob Melton has achieved notable accolades, including being named the Pac-12 Conference Baseball Player of the Year for his exceptional performance during the 2022 season.
