Since Rico Carty patrolled left field in the 1960s, the Atlanta Braves have not had a reliable left field option.
But this year, that might finally change.
After being selected by the New York Mets with the sixth pick in the 2018 MLB Draft, Jarred Kelenic was considered one of the league’s best prospects throughout the most of his time in the minor leagues. After just one summer with the Mets, he was traded to Seattle in the Robinson Canó trade, and he debuted at No. 56 on the 2019 “Top 100 prospects” list.
Kelenic shot up to No. 11 on the list following an incredible 2019 season in which he finished with a.291 batting average, 31 doubles, five triples, 23 home runs, and 68 RBI. Kelenic, who was rated as the MLB’s No. 4 prospect, eventually made his Seattle Mariners debut in 2021.
The anticipation for Kelenic were through the sky. Expectations and pressure have the power to either break you or mould you into a better version of yourself. What will happen if you encounter a difficult stretch? It’s baseball. It’s the most humbling sport on the planet. You will experience days when you perform well and days when you do poorly. What’s your approach to the grind?
With a.181 batting average in 2021 and a.141 batting average in 2022, Kelenic finished below the Mendoza line in both seasons. (If you don’t know, the Mendoza line is a .200 hitting average, named for SS Mario Mendoza, who failed to crack .200 in five of his nine MLB seasons. It so happens that during one of those four seasons, he was a player with the Mariners.)
With his back to the wall, Jarred found himself under attack from the same fan base that had previously put so much pressure and expectation on him. His rapport with the front desk has diminished. Despite all the obstacles in his way, he made a strong comeback in 2023.
Like it was 1984 and his name was Phil Collins, Kelenic came out swinging Against All Odds. He was in the 91st percentile for sweet spot percentage and sprayed the ball all over the yard. Pitch after pitch was coming out of his mouth faster than before.
That was, until he broke his foot barrelling up a water cooler in the dugout and spent two months on the injured list.
Hey, Braves fans have seen it before. Huascar Ynoa punched a bench and broke his hand—that is, except for us.
After his 2023 season was cut short due to that injury, Kelenic was traded to the Atlanta Braves. He was granted a fresh start, free from the pressures and expectations he had encountered in Seattle. Because of this, Mark Bowman of MLB.com believes Kelenic is ready for a breakthrough campaign.
