Daily updates on Jarred Kelenic from May

Keeping tabs on the No. 4 overall prospect

June 1st, 2021

May 18: Walks as M's no-hit
Hits were nonexistent for the Mariners offense against the Tigers tonight, as they were no-hit for the second time this month. Jarred Kelenic got a front row seat to Spencer Turnbull's master class, going 0-for-3 in the leadoff spot. Kelenic was one of two Mariners to reach base in the game via a walk. Gameday »

May 17: Breaks hitless slump with single
After two straight 0-for-5 games, Jarred Kelenic led off with Monday with a single. It was his only hit of the night as baseball's No. 4 prospect went 1-for-4 with a strikeout in Seattle's 4-1 loss. Outside of his breakout performance Friday, Kelenic is just 1-for-18. His batting average sits at .182 in his first taste of the big leagues. Gameday »

May 16: Another 0-for-5 day
Jarred Kelenic went 0-for-5 for the second straight game in the Mariners' 3-2 victory on Sunday. On the bright side, he recorded a couple of hard-hit balls and didn't strike out in a game for the first time since getting called up. Kelenic collected three hits on Friday but is 0-for-14 in his three other games as a Major Leaguer. Gameday »

May 15: Strikes out three times
Jarred Kelenic's third MLB game went a lot differently than his second. One night after notching three extra-base hits, including his first home run in the Majors, Kelenic went 0-for-5 with three K's in a Mariners victory over the Indians. He has five strikeouts through his first 13 at-bats in Seattle. More »

May 14: Slaps three extra-base hits in huge night
Jarred Kelenic had a lot left in the tank following his first career home run. The 21-year-old outfielder collected three extra-base hits in a 3-for-4 performance Friday night. Kelenic followed his first career homer with two doubles against Cleveland. He was a key cog in Seattle's 7-3 victory, driving in three runs and scoring twice. More »

May 14: First big league hit is a homer
Jarred Kelenic introduced himself in style to the Seattle faithful Friday night, launching a two-run homer for his first career hit. For Kelenic, that's his third home across all levels this year. Baseball's No. 4 prospect went hitless in his first career game, but made up for it with his third-inning blast. Gameday »

May 13: Goes hitless in debut
Jarred Kelenic went hitless in his MLB debut Thursday, striking out once in an 0-for-4 night. To be fair, most Mariners hitters struggled to find a hit, as Indians starter Zach Plesac took a no-hitter into the eighth inning. Kelenic will have another opportunity to collect his first career hit Friday night against Aaron Civale. Gameday »

May 12: Double debut highlights M's Thursday
Mariners' fans got a nice surprise Wednesday, as not only will Jarred Kelenic be making his debut, but top pitching prospect Logan Gilbert will makes his as well on Thursday. It marks just the third time that two top-100 prospects will debut for the same team since 2004.

For Kelenic, it's been a wild ride already for baseball's No. 4 prospect. From being drafted sixth overall in 2018 to being traded prior to the 2019 season to his meteoric rise through Seattle's system, Kelenic will finally see the bright lights of T-Mobile Park. More »

May 11: Doubles in series finale
Jarred Kelenic left Triple-A El Paso's pitchers with a parting gift, tallying his 10th hit in their series in a 1-for-5 night. It may be his last game in a Rainiers uniform, as Tacoma has an off-day tomorrow and Seattle's top prospect is expected to be called up to the big league club Thursday. He ends his brief Triple-A stint with a .370 average and a 1.043 OPS. Gameday »

May 10: Kelenic extends hit streak as news breaks
Seattle's top prospect extended his hitting streak with Triple-A Tacoma to five games while the internet simultaneously buzzed with news of his impending promotion. He finished the night 1-for-4 and watched from the on-deck circle as the Rainiers rallied to a 3-2 win in extra innings. Gameday »

May 9: Kelenic's torrid start continues
Kelenic continues to be unfazed by Triple-A pitching as he recorded his fourth straight multi-hit game to start the 2021 season. He is now 8-for-18 to start the year, and has added a pair of stolen bases along the way. Gameday »

May 8: Drives in two as tear continues
Triple-A pitching can't seem to figure out how to pitch to Jarred Kelenic, as baseball's No. 4 prospect recorded yet another multi-hit night. Kelenic ended the day with two RBIs and a walk in a 2-for-4 performance. Both hits were singles, but they were good enough to raise his season average to a .429. He is also the proud owner of a blistering 1.357 OPS through three games. Kelenic must be keeping his phone close because a call-up seems imminent at this point. Gameday »

May 7: Kelenic continues hot start with 2-for-4 night
Jarred Kelenic continued to tear up the Triple-A level Friday as he went 2-for-4 with an RBI, a walk and a stolen base. Seattle's No. 1 prospect raised his average to .400 through his first two games with Tacoma. Kelenic squared off with baseball's No. 1 pitching prospect MacKenzie Gore, tallying a single and a walk off the Padres farmhand. Gameday »

May 6: Kelenic blasts two solo shots in Triple-A debut
Jarred Kelenic wasted no time introducing himself to the Triple-A level, as he launched two homers in his first game with the Tacoma Rainiers. Kelenic sent both over the right field wall, including one off a left-handed pitcher in the fifth inning. Overall, baseball's No. 4 prospect went 2-for-6 in his season debut.

For Kelenic, it shouldn't be long before he makes his way to T-Mobile Park if he keeps swinging the bat with this kind of authority. More »

May 6: Kelenic set to start season
Mariners fans have had to wait on seeing Jarred Kelenic, who is starting the season with Triple-A Tacoma. They won't have to wait much longer, with Kelenic and the Rainiers set to take on the Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas tonight at 10 p.m. ET.

Surely those same Mariners fans will want to know when Kelenic will debut in Seattle, and they might not have to wait long. After going 6-for-20 with two homers in big league Spring Training, Kelenic looks ready.

May 4: When is the MLB debut coming?
Jarred Kelenic's 2021 Minor League season has yet to begin, but Mariners' fans already want to know when the young outfielder will debut in Seattle. Kelenic impressed in Spring Training and has been hyped up ever since he was traded from the Mets in 2018.

While the exact date is, of course, still to be determined, fans likely won't have to wait long to see Kelenic in the Majors. In fact, it's possible he makes his debut later this month, after just a few games with Triple-A Tacoma. More »

April 26: Minor League Spring Training report
The Mariners limited who they sent to their alternate site this year. Located exclusively at T-Mobile Park, there aren’t real games being played, so it was deemed better for the development of top prospects who will be a phone call away in Triple-A, like Jarred Kelenic and Logan Gilbert, for example, to stay and play against other teams in Arizona. More »

April 23: Seattle will have to wait
Jarred Kelenic is expected to land in the Majors at some point this season, but given the Mariners’ solid start and the state of the club’s outfield, don’t expect to see the star prospect in Seattle in the immediate future.

The Mariners wanted Kelenic -- who hasn’t played in a competitive game since 2019 because of the pandemic -- to return to the alternate training site to begin the season, giving him a chance to see more left-handed pitching. In 117 Minor League games in 2019 (only 21 of which were as high as Double-A), Kelenic posted a .940 OPS against right-handers compared to a .757 mark against lefties.

“It’s no fault of his own, but he hasn’t had a chance to see a lot of it,” GM Jerry Dipoto said of the need for Kelenic to see more lefties. “Not shockingly, he’s acing that test right now. Injury aside, he’s going to play in the big leagues in the not-too-distant future.” More »

April 1: Best athlete in the Seattle system
Jarred Kelenic used all of his tools consistently well in his first full season with a 20-20 performance while he reached Double-A. He’s been knocking on the door since, both in the alternate site in 2020 and this spring. He’ll bring his All-Star potential to the Mariners outfield at some point soon in 2021. More »

March 27: Vows to 'play tail off' after reassignment
Jarred Kelenic will not be on the Mariners’ Opening Day roster, a decision that had been alluded to many times by Mariners management over the five weeks of Spring Training -- but the promising outfielder is coming sooner than later.

Seattle reassigned Kelenic to Minor League Spring Training, along with fellow star prospect Julio Rodríguez. Right-handers Brady Lail and Paul Sewald were also reassigned to the Minors. Right-hander Ljay Newsome, reliever Aaron Fletcher and outfielder Braden Bishop, meanwhile, were optioned to the alternate training site, which will be held at T-Mobile Park. That leaves Taylor Trammell and Jake Fraley competing for the left-field job.

“I'm a competitor, and I want to help this team win as soon as possible,” Kelenic said. “But I understand where they're coming from, and all I can do right now is focus on what I need to focus [on] and get there as soon as possible.” More »

March 25: Plates run with a double
Jarred Kelenic continued his strong Cactus League slate while proving his left adductor strain is a thing of the past. Seattle's top prospect was hitless through four plate appearances before smacking an RBI double in his final at-bat in the ninth inning. Kelenic, who also walked and scored once, is batting .333/.478/.778 with five RBIs, four extra-base hits, four walks and one strikeout in nine games. Gameday »

March 24: Taken second in ROY Draft
With the talent in the Mariners’ system right now, two straight Rookie of the Year winners seems very doable after Kyle Lewis won in 2020. And it seems like three straight could even be possible, with Julio Rodríguez in 2022. Jarred Kelenic has shown his power consistently throughout his career in the Minors, and we’ve already seen two homers from him in big league Spring Training this year. With his ability to make hard contact, plus speed and a strong arm, he seems to have all the tools to put on a show in the Majors this year, if and when he arrives. More »

March 21: Tees off for second time in spring
The prized prospects in Seattle’s blossoming farm system were at the center of the Mariners’ 3-1 win over the Brewers, with outfielders Jarred Kelenic and Julio Rodríguez each going deep with impressive solo homers and making a few snazzy plays in the outfield.

Kelenic went yard first, working a 3-1 count from righty Freddy Peralta before clobbering an inside offspeed pitch and watching it soar quickly over the right-center-field wall at American Family Fields of Phoenix. The second-inning homer tied the score at 1.

Despite missing 12 days due to a Grade 2 adductor strain near his right knee, Kelenic has looked superb. He’s gone 5-for-15 with a 1.095 OPS in seven Cactus League games, and upon returning to the lineup in center field, the 21-year-old put the improved health of his leg on display with strong catches in the field. More »

March 20: Looks healthy in return
Jarred Kelenic squashed any doubts over the health of his right leg by putting it to heavy use in the Mariners’ 7-6 win over the White Sox.

He kicked into high gear on three separate plays out of the batter’s box, all of which ended with him on base. His first was legging out a double in the second inning. He followed by reaching on an infield dribbler in the second. Lastly, he beat out a would-be inning-ending double-play ball to second in the fifth.

Kelenic also flashed some athleticism in center field, where he showed off impressive arm strength and wherewithal on two separate plays that led to outs. That included a cutoff to shortstop J.P. Crawford that helped nab Danny Mendick, who was going for second base, and stopped the bleeding in a five-run inning for Marco Gonzales. More »

March 6: Out with strained left knee muscle
Jarred Kelenic will be sidelined for the immediate future with a Grade 2 strain of the adductor muscle in his left knee, an MRI revealed on Saturday.

Kelenic tweaked his left knee coming out of the batter’s box in his first plate appearance on Friday against the White Sox. After exhibiting some pain and a consultation with manager Scott Servais and a trainer, Kelenic remained in the game until he made a scheduled exit following his second at-bat.

Servais said the next day that Kelenic is “going to be out for a little while,” and that the injury is centered around the thigh and quad area connecting to his knee. More »

March 3: Hits Seattle's first spring homer
Top prospects giving Mariners fans encouraging glimpses into the future has been the most prominent on-field narrative early in Spring Training. Jarred Kelenic and Taylor Trammell poured more fuel on that fire of promise with opposite-field homers in Seattle’s 8-8 tie against the Cubs.

Kelenic lifted a middle-in fastball from Brandon Workman in the fourth inning that kept carrying in extremely windy conditions and landed on the lawn beyond the left-center-field wall. More »