Fans got a bounty of Royals memorabilia after making trade with MJ Melendez

Royals outfielder MJ Melendez got off cheap on this deal.

In January, Melendez put the word out on social media that he was hoping to get a Topps Dynasty card that is as rare as any you’ll find. Only one card was issued and it’s of Melendez from the World Baseball Classic when he played for Puerto Rico.

“Whoever pulls these cards whenever they come out,” Melendez wrote on X, “I will personally fly you out to a game and make you a trade for the card!!”

Melendez got the card Tuesday when a pair of Royals fans made the trip to Kauffman Stadium ... from Lawrence. So there was no need to purchase a flight for Kevin and Owen Heath , who were identified by KCTV-5.

“I got them some BP passes and some tickets for the game,” Melendez said. “Then I got them two jerseys, two (sets of) batting gloves — one that was game used and one that was brand new — and then also a game-used bat that was authenticated.

“I think I’d hit like two home runs with that bat earlier in the season. It was like the bat that I used for the White Sox series earlier in the year when I had those three consecutive games with the go-ahead hit. It was that same bat.“

Melendez said he’s building a collection of unique memorabilia. Much of it is his stuff, but he’s also started swapping jerseys with some opposing players.

“It’s also one of one, a little bit different, but it’s also one of one,” Melendez said of the card. “I think it’s cool and everybody wants things that they can’t have, that’s human nature, so to be able to have something of mine that nobody else in this world has is pretty cool.”

Melendez is also happy that the stash of items he traded for the card is going to fans who root for the Royals.

“I’m just glad that it went to somebody who was actually truly a Royals fan,” Melendez said. “And, you know, obviously any fan would be cool, but it’s pretty cool to have somebody that’s actually a Royals fan.”