In a system that has been ravaged by trades, Mendez is one of the most talented prospects remaining, despite his poor results after getting promoted to Double-A on Aug. 1. The skinny 6-foot-2 righty's fastball regularly touches triple digits, and he has one of the best sliders in the minors, but poor control may push him to relief eventually. Mendez, who turned 23 in July, logged a 1.32 ERA, 1.01 WHIP and 70:24 K:BB in 61.1 innings at High-A Fort Wayne. A 15.9 percent walk rate and .346 BABIP contributed to a 8.06 ERA and 1.75 WHIP in 22.1 innings at Double-A, and he will return there to start 2026. Mendez's value could rise drastically with a strong showing early in 2026, or he could start looking more and more like a future late-inning reliever. Read Past Outlooks