1975 Topps #353 Luis Melendez

About Luis Melendez
Luis Antonio Meléndez Santana, a right-handed-hitting outfielder from Aibonito, Puerto Rico, broke into the majors with the St. Louis Cardinals in September 1970. He spent parts of seven seasons in St. Louis as a reserve outfielder, his best year coming in 1973 when he batted .267 in 121 games. His 1975 Topps card, No. 353, captures him in his sixth big-league season, one in which he hit .265 over 110 games for the Cardinals. St. Louis traded him to the San Diego Padres for pitcher Bill Greif in May 1976, and he closed out his eight-season major-league career there in 1977, finishing with a .248 average, 9 home runs, and 122 RBIs in 641 games. Meléndez later built a long career as a coach and manager in the Cardinals' and Phillies' farm systems, leading the Savannah Cardinals to the 1994 South Atlantic League title, and he went on to manage in the Puerto Rico Baseball League and coach for the Gulf Coast Phillies through 2009.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 232 | 2 | 66 | 132 | 23 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| SGC | 8 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Graded population — a scarcity guide, not a price. Snapshot 2026-08-19. Half grades fold down for both graders (8.5→8); PSA qualified slabs (OC, ST, PD, MC and the like) are not counted. The graders do not split the 1975 Topps Mini or O-Pee-Chee issues into this set.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the 1975 Topps #353 card?
It is card #353 of the 660-card 1975 Topps Baseball set, picturing Luis Melendez.
How many cards are in the 1975 Topps Baseball set?
660 cards, numbered 1-660, with no variations and no short prints - PSA reports the cards were printed in equal quantities. The 1975 Topps Mini and the 1975 O-Pee-Chee issues are separate products with their own checklists.
Sources: Trading Card Database, Cardboard Connection, the PSA price guide, Baseball-Reference, the SABR BioProject and the National Baseball Hall of Fame, PSA & SGC population reports. Card data compiled and maintained by T206Cards.com. Page last updated 2026-10-05.