Jarred Kelenic
Atlanta Braves – No. 24
Outfielder
Born: (1999-07-16) July 16, 1999
Waukesha, Wisconsin, U.S.
Bats: Left
Throws: Left
MLB debut
May 13, 2021, for the Seattle Mariners
MLB statistics
(through 2023 season)
Batting average.204
Home runs32
Runs batted in109
Teams
Medals
Men's baseball
Representing  United States
U-18 Baseball World Cup
Gold medal – first place 2017 Thunder Bay Team

Jarred Robert Kelenic (/ˈkɛlnɪk/ KEL-nik;[1] born July 16, 1999) is an American professional baseball outfielder for the Atlanta Braves of Major League Baseball (MLB). Kelenic was drafted in the first round of the 2018 MLB draft by the New York Mets and was traded to the Seattle Mariners later that year. He made his MLB debut in 2021 with the Mariners.

Amateur career

Kelenic attended Waukesha West High School in Waukesha, Wisconsin. In 2016, he was named MVP of USA Baseball's U-18 team that won gold at the Pan American Games.[2][3][4] He committed to play college baseball at the University of Louisville.[5]

In July 2017, Kelenic participated in the High School Home Run Derby at Marlins Park.[6] Later that month, he played in the Under Armour All-America Baseball Game.[7] He again played for Team USA in 2017 and won a gold medal for the second consecutive year.

Professional career

New York Mets

Kelenic was considered one of the top prospects for the 2018 Major League Baseball draft.[8][9] He was drafted sixth overall by the New York Mets and signed with the team for $4.5 million.[10] After signing with the Mets, Kelenic was assigned to the Rookie League Gulf Coast League Mets[11] before being promoted to the Rookie League Kingsport Mets of the Rookie-level Appalachian League in July. In 56 games between the two clubs, he slashed .286/.371/.468 with six home runs, 42 RBIs, and 15 stolen bases.[12]

Seattle Mariners

2018–2020

On December 3, 2018, the Mets traded Kelenic, Jay Bruce, Gerson Bautista, Justin Dunn and Anthony Swarzak to the Seattle Mariners in exchange for Robinson Canó, Edwin Díaz, and $20 million.[13] He began 2019 with the West Virginia Power of the Single–A South Atlantic League.[14] Kelenic was promoted to the Modesto Nuts of the High–A California League in May.[15] Kelenic was named to the 2019 All-Star Futures Game.[16] In August, he was promoted to the Arkansas Travelers of the Double–A Texas League.[17] Over 117 games between the three clubs, he slashed .291/.364/.540 with 23 home runs, 68 RBIs, and twenty stolen bases.[18] He was selected to play in the Arizona Fall League for the Peoria Javelinas following the season.[19] Kelenic did not appear in a minor league game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and spent the summer at Seattle's training camp.[20] Throughout his minor league career, Kelenic was ranked highly by prospect evaluators, with both MLB.com and Baseball America ranking him as the eleventh-best prospect in baseball in 2020 and the fourth-best in 2021.[21][22]

2021

In February 2021, Kelenic stated that the Mariners had kept him in the minor leagues during the 2020 season because he had refused to sign an extension. His comments occurred after a video of Mariners CEO Kevin Mather speaking to a rotary club was posted online. Mather indicated that Kelenic and fellow Mariners prospect Logan Gilbert would start the 2021 season in the minor leagues, keeping them under team control for an extra year before free agency.[23] After the comments became public, Kelenic said that the Mariners had offered him a contract extension and had told him multiple times that he would have appeared with the major league team in 2020 had he signed it. Instead, Kelenic spent the 2020 season at the team's alternate training site. In response, Mariners general manager Jerry Dipoto said that Kelenic was not yet ready to play on the major league team.[24][25] Despite impressing during spring training, with two home runs and a 1.256 OPS in nine games, Kelenic was assigned to the Tacoma Rainiers of the Triple-A West League to begin the 2021 season.[26][27]

On May 13, 2021, Kelenic was added to the 40-man roster and promoted to the major leagues for the first time.[28] He made his debut that day as the starting left fielder against the Cleveland Indians, going hitless in four at-bats. The next day, on May 14, Kelenic recorded his first MLB hit, a two-run home run in the bottom of the third inning for an estimated distance of 403 feet.[29] On June 7, 2021, amid a 0-39 slump, he was sent down to Triple–A.[30] In June 2021, Kelenic was selected to play in the All-Star Futures Game.[31] Kelenic was called back up to the major leagues after the All-Star break and stayed on the roster for the remainder of the season, contributing to the Mariners' ultimately unsuccessful late-season playoff push.[32][33] Kelenic finished the 2021 season batting .181/.265/.350 with 14 home runs and 43 RBIs in 93 games.[34]

2022

Prior to the 2022 season, due to his performance during the tail end of the Mariners' 2021 season and his previous high prospect status, Kelenic was viewed as a candidate for a breakout season.[35] Kelenic began the 2022 season with the Mariners. In May 2022, he was optioned to Tacoma after hitting .140/.219/.291 over 30 games.[36] After being sent down to the minors, in 54 games for Tacoma, Kelenic slashed .288/.363/.540 with an OPS of .903.[37] He was then called back up to the majors on July 31, replacing Julio Rodríguez, who had been placed on the injured list after getting hit by a pitch.[38] During his short 10-game stint with the major league squad, he had just two hits in 27 plate appearances before being optioned once again to Tacoma.[39]

Kelenic was once again called up in late September, again hitting well within the final month of the regular season as well as during the postseason, the Mariners' first since 2001.[40][41] At the end of the 2022 season, Kelenic had a career batting average of .168, second to John Vukovich for lowest in history for batters with more than 550 plate appearances.[42]

2023

During the offseason, Kelenic worked on adjusting his approach at the plate to one that would be more suitable for hitting major-league pitching, especially towards breaking balls, which he greatly struggled hitting while he was in the major leagues.[43][44] Before the 2023 season, Kelenic was again viewed as a breakout candidate because of his performance after his final call-up, as well as the ban on the infield shift that was introduced in 2023.

In spring training, Kelenic flourished, slashing .353/.389/.706 with four home runs in 54 plate appearances. Kelenic began the season on the Opening Day roster, with the intent of platooning in left field with the newly-acquired A. J. Pollock.[45] Kelenic continued his spring training success into the major league season, hitting well enough to earn starts against left-handed pitchers and become the everyday left fielder.[46] On April 12, 2023, Kelenic hit a 482-foot home run that landed in the second tier of the center field bleachers at Wrigley Field, the longest regular-season home run recorded at Wrigley and the longest by a Mariner during the Statcast era (since 2015).[47]

On July 20, Kelenic broke his foot after kicking a water cooler during a game against the Minnesota Twins.[48] He was activated off of the injured list on September 11.[49]

Atlanta Braves

On December 3, 2023, the Mariners traded Kelenic, Marco Gonzales, and Evan White to the Atlanta Braves for Jackson Kowar and Cole Phillips.[50]

References

  1. ↑ Jude, Adam. "A bromance blooms between Mariners prospects Julio Rodriguez, Jarred Kelenic," The Seattle Times, Thursday, March 14, 2019. Retrieved April 9, 2021
  2. ↑ Radcliffe, JR (October 23, 2016). "After gold-medal performance, Waukesha's Kelenic continues rapid rise". Journal Sentinel. Milwaukee, WI. Retrieved December 8, 2018.
  3. ↑ Radcliffe, JR (October 10, 2016). "Waukesha's Jarred Kelenic wins gold with Team USA baseball squad". Journal Sentinel. Milwaukee, WI. Retrieved December 8, 2018.
  4. ↑ Radcliffe, JR (June 27, 2016). "Waukesha West's Jarred Kelenic makes cut for Team USA U18 baseball team". archive.jsonline.com. Retrieved December 8, 2018.
  5. ↑ "Jarred Kelenic". Perfectgame.org. Retrieved July 23, 2018.
  6. ↑ Radcliffe, JR (July 10, 2017). "Waukesha West's Kelenic appears in high-school home run derby at All-Star Game in Miami". Journal Sentinel. Milwaukee, WI. Retrieved December 8, 2018.
  7. ↑ Radcliffe, JR (March 21, 2017). "Nine players invited to Under Armour All-America Game for baseball". USA Today. Retrieved December 8, 2018.
  8. ↑ "2018 MLB Draft prospects at Chicago PDP". MLB.com.
  9. ↑ "MLB.com 2018 Prospect Watch". MLB.com. Retrieved April 7, 2018.
  10. ↑ Todd, Jeff (June 8, 2018). "Mets Agree To Terms With First-Rounder Jarred Kelenic". MLB Trade Rumors.
  11. ↑ Healey, Tim (June 15, 2018). "Jarred Kelenic, Mets' No. 1 draft pick, signs pro contract". Newsday. Retrieved December 8, 2018.
  12. ↑ "Jarred Kelenic Stats, Highlights, Bio - MiLB.com Stats - The Official Site of Minor League Baseball". MiLB.com. Retrieved September 11, 2018.
  13. ↑ Divish, Ryan (December 3, 2018). "It's official: Mariners trade Robinson Cano, Edwin Diaz to the Mets in blockbuster seven-player swap". The Seattle Times. Retrieved December 8, 2018.
  14. ↑ Redd, Derek (April 2, 2019). "West Virginia Power: Outfielder Jarred Kelenic ready to meet lofty expectations". Charleston Gazette-Mail. Retrieved April 5, 2019.
  15. ↑ Hight, Brian (May 31, 2019). "Seattle Mariners top prospect Jarred Kelenic promoted". OregonLive.com. Retrieved June 2, 2019.
  16. ↑ Jim Callis (June 28, 2019). "Here are the 2019 Futures Game rosters". MLB.com. Retrieved June 29, 2019.
  17. ↑ "Mariners promote top prospect Jarred Kelenic to Class AA Arkansas". The Seattle Times. August 10, 2019. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
  18. ↑ "Cases for and against Mariners' Jarred Kelenic making opening day debut". sports.MyNorthwest.com. February 26, 2021.
  19. ↑ "2019 Arizona Fall League rosters". Mlb.com. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
  20. ↑ "Jarred Kelenic confident in abilities". Mlb.com. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
  21. ↑ "Top 100 Baseball Prospects". MLB.com. Retrieved May 27, 2023.
  22. ↑ "2020 Top 100 MLB Prospects". www.baseballamerica.com. Retrieved May 27, 2023.
  23. ↑ Red, Christian (February 22, 2021). "Kevin Mather's Remarks About Mariners Prospect Jarred Kelenic Spotlight Lingering Problem In Baseball". Forbes. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
  24. ↑ Nightengale, Bob (February 24, 2021). "Seattle Mariners prospect Jarred Kelenic says team is punishing him for refusing to sign contract extension". USA Today. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
  25. ↑ "Prospect Jarred Kelenic says his service time being manipulated by Seattle Mariners". ESPN. February 24, 2021. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
  26. ↑ "Kelenic reassigned, vows to 'play my tail off'". MLB.com. Retrieved May 27, 2023.
  27. ↑ Smith, Lauren. "Mariners takeaways: Top prospect Jarred Kelenic, other up-and-comers off to quick starts in minors". The News Tribune. Retrieved May 27, 2023.
  28. ↑ Steve Adams (May 13, 2021). "Mariners Officially Promote Jarred Kelenic, Logan Gilbert". MLB Trade Rumors. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
  29. ↑ "Indians vs. Mariners - Game Summary - May 14, 2021 - ESPN". ESPN.com.
  30. ↑ "Mariners Option Jarred Kelenic".
  31. ↑ "Futures Game rosters are STACKED". MLB.com.
  32. ↑ "Outfielder Jarred Kelenic will rejoin Mariners when they play Angels on Friday". The Seattle Times. July 15, 2021. Retrieved May 27, 2023.
  33. ↑ "Waukesha's Jarred Kelenic and Seattle Mariners suddenly on doorstep of playoff spot". Journal Sentinel. Retrieved May 27, 2023.
  34. ↑ "'No reason to panic' after Mariners OF Jarred Kelenic's rocky debut". January 21, 2022.
  35. ↑ Langs, Sarah (March 13, 2022). "Top breakout hitter candidates for 2022". MLB.com. Retrieved May 27, 2023.
  36. ↑ "Kelenic optioned ahead of series vs. Mets". MLB.com.
  37. ↑ Samulski, Eric (August 1, 2022). "Former Mets prospect Jarred Kelenic gets third chance with the Mariners". amny.com. Retrieved May 27, 2023.
  38. ↑ "Julio Rodríguez goes on IL with swollen wrist".
  39. ↑ Gustafson, Brandon (September 29, 2022). "Is Mariners' Jarred Kelenic back for good? 3 MLB insiders weigh in". seattlesports.com. Retrieved May 27, 2023.
  40. ↑ Jude, Adam (October 6, 2022). "Mariners' Jerry Dipoto 'so proud' of Jarred Kelenic's breakthrough entering playoffs". The Seattle Times. Retrieved May 27, 2023.
  41. ↑ Matheson, Keegan (October 13, 2022). "Jarred Kelenic a key part to Mariners' offense". MLB.com. Retrieved May 27, 2023.
  42. ↑ Verducci, Tom (February 20, 2023). "Mariners' Jarred Kelenic Is Primed for a Turnaround in 2023". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved March 2, 2023.
  43. ↑ Divish, Ryan (February 18, 2023). "After spending the offseason being a 'sponge,' Jarred Kelenic hopes new swing gets him back on track". The Seattle Times. Retrieved May 27, 2023.
  44. ↑ Rosenthal, Ken (April 26, 2023). "'This is it': How Jarred Kelenic adjusted body and mind to live up to the hype". The Athletic. Retrieved May 27, 2023.
  45. ↑ Kramer, Daniel (March 27, 2023). "Mariners' 2023 opening day roster finalized". MLB.com. Retrieved May 27, 2023.
  46. ↑ Jude, Adam (April 14, 2023). "Red-hot Jarred Kelenic gets first start for M's against left-handed pitcher". The Seattle Times. Retrieved May 27, 2023.
  47. ↑ Brock, Corey (April 12, 2023). "Jarred Kelenic hits 482-foot home run, longest for Mariners in Statcast era". The Athletic. Retrieved May 27, 2023.
  48. ↑ "Mariners' Jarred Kelenic breaks foot by kicking water cooler". ESPN. July 20, 2023. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
  49. ↑ "Mariners outfielder Jarred Kelenic returns from 'timeout' — a stint on the IL". The Seattle Times. September 11, 2023.
  50. ↑ "Mariners trade Jarred Kelenic, Marco Gonzales, Evan White to Braves". The Seattle Times. December 3, 2023. Retrieved December 3, 2023.
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