Name: Hendry Mendez
Position: OF
Born: November 7, 2003
Country: Dominican Republic
Bats/Throws: L/L
Height/Weight: 6’2″ 175lbs
How Acquired: Signed as an International Free Agent by the Brewers. Traded to the Phillies along with Robert Moore for Oliver Dunn on November 14, 2023.
Signed: January 15, 2021
Bonus: $800,000
Options Remaining: 3
Rule 5 Eligible: 2025
MiLB Free Agency: 2027
Stats
Prospect Rankings
Role: Second Division Regular
Risk: Extreme – Mendez has moved to an outfield corner which puts pressure on his bat. His stats do not indicate his bat will be up to the task, which leaves his potential more dependent on past projection and his physicality.
Summary: The Brewers signed Mendez for $800,000 when the 2021 signing period opened, and he had a great debut in both the DSL and Arizona Complex League. However, in both 2022 and 2023 his swing started to show deficiencies in quality of contact generated. Mendez has the physicality to hit for power, but his swing leads to an enormous amount of ground ball contact (over 60% the last two seasons). Historically, Mendez has had a solid approach and low swing and miss, so if the Phillies can rework his swing there is a chance he can tap into those changes. At one point, Mendez was thought to be a center fielder, but he is now firmly a corner outfielder and will likely see time in both corners going forward.
2024 Outlook: Mendez played all of last season at high A in the Brewers system, but given his struggles, he likely goes to Jersey Shore to open the 2024 season. The big thing will be if the Phillies make swing changes and if they are able to get Mendez to square up the ball more consistently.
Role: Second Division Regular
Risk: High – Mendez’s swing is a real mess leading to poor contact, but *gestures at everything else* is pretty good.
Summary: Mendez fills out a uniform well, has plus raw power (104.6 mph 90th percentile and 111 mph max this year according to Baseball America), has very low chase rates, and very good contact rates. He walked as many times as he struck out (13.9%) as a 20 year old in low-A. He hits the ball on the ground too much, like many Phillies hitting prospects, which limits his game power. Your initial thought would be that he has some swing and timing improvements to make, and for that you would be mostly right. Mendez’s swing is a mess, it consists almost entirely of his arms so he is rarely on time, on plane, or hitting with much force behind the ball. When he does engage his hips, they are often disjointed leading to more timing issues. Much like Justin Crawford, he is at his best on pitches inside because the swing path means he must engage everything in a way that allows him to get some thump. Right now, the whole thing is completely unworkable, but there are enough other things going on that if the Phillies do fix it, he could be a very interesting hitter. On defense he is a slightly negative corner outfield defender, which means that he needs to produce offensively.
2025 Outlook: Mendez will go to AA where the park should be advantageous for power if he can get his swing in a place where he can elevate the ball. He is only 21, so it would not be a bad thing if he spent the whole year at AA.
Role: Second Division Regular
Risk: High – Mendez’s swing is a real mess leading to poor contact, but *gestures at everything else* is pretty good.
Summary: Mendez fills out a uniform well, has plus raw power (104.6 mph 90th percentile and 111 mph max this year according to Baseball America), has very low chase rates, and very good contact rates. He walked as many times as he struck out (13.9%) as a 20 year old in low-A. He hits the ball on the ground too much, like many Phillies hitting prospects, which limits his game power. Your initial thought would be that he has some swing and timing improvements to make, and for that you would be mostly right. Mendez’s swing is a mess, it consists almost entirely of his arms so he is rarely on time, on plane, or hitting with much force behind the ball. When he does engage his hips, they are often disjointed leading to more timing issues. Much like Justin Crawford, he is at his best on pitches inside because the swing path means he must engage everything in a way that allows him to get some thump. Right now, the whole thing is completely unworkable, but there are enough other things going on that if the Phillies do fix it, he could be a very interesting hitter. On defense he is a slightly negative corner outfield defender, which means that he needs to produce offensively.
2025 Outlook: Mendez will go to AA where the park should be advantageous for power if he can get his swing in a place where he can elevate the ball. He is only 21, so it would not be a bad thing if he spent the whole year at AA.
Role: Second Division Regular
Risk: Extreme – Mendez has moved to an outfield corner which puts pressure on his bat. His stats do not indicate his bat will be up to the task, which leaves his potential more dependent on past projection and his physicality.
Summary: The Brewers signed Mendez for $800,000 when the 2021 signing period opened, and he had a great debut in both the DSL and Arizona Complex League. However, in both 2022 and 2023 his swing started to show deficiencies in quality of contact generated. Mendez has the physicality to hit for power, but his swing leads to an enormous amount of ground ball contact (over 60% the last two seasons). Historically, Mendez has had a solid approach and low swing and miss, so if the Phillies can rework his swing there is a chance he can tap into those changes. At one point, Mendez was thought to be a center fielder, but he is now firmly a corner outfielder and will likely see time in both corners going forward.
2024 Outlook: Mendez played all of last season at high A in the Brewers system, but given his struggles, he likely goes to Jersey Shore to open the 2024 season. The big thing will be if the Phillies make swing changes and if they are able to get Mendez to square up the ball more consistently.