Throughout Atlanta Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos’ tenure, he’s been able to assemble a contender nearly every season. His work during the 2021 season that led to a World Series championship will go down as one of the best jobs in history.
But not every acquisition Anthopoulos has made has been a home run.
Those the Braves will remember fondly will be trades for guys like Matt Olson, Adam Duvall and Joc Pederson. One that will not be is that of Jarred Kelenic.
After trading with the Seattle Mariners for him back in 2024 in exchange for Jackson Kowar and Cole Phillips, Kelenic’s career has taken a nosedive — and it’s continuing now in the minor leagues.
Jarred Kelenic’s Struggles Continue With White Sox Triple-A Affiliate
Kelenic, who is currently playing for the Chicago White Sox Triple-A affiliate, the Charlotte Knights, is off to a really rough start this season.
In an original post by Dan Clark on April 7, he pointed out that Kelenic had the worst batting average in Triple-A.
“Jarred Kelenic’s nosedive continues. He is currently the worst hitter in Triple-A,” Clark wrote.
At the time, the former Braves outfielder was batting .045 with one RBI, one stolen base and an OPS of .165 in 22 at-bats.
That has since changed slightly. In two more at-bats, Kelenic is hitting .083, which is tied for fifth in Triple-A alongside Nelson Velázquez. He’s added another RBI, but the underlying numbers remain concerning, with four walks compared to 10 strikeouts.
It’s the latest sign that Kelenic has yet to find any sort of rhythm at the plate, even after a change of scenery.
At least the good news for the Braves is that they didn’t lose much in the deal.
Kowar has appeared in 54 games with a 4-6 record in the majors. He owns a career 8.21 ERA with 90 strikeouts in 91 innings pitched and is currently with the Norfolk Tides after being sent down from the Baltimore Orioles.
Phillips had his contract purchased by the Milwaukee Brewers on December 10 and is currently with the ACL Brewers.
Jared Kelnic Still Searching for Consistency
Kelenic’s time with the Braves was short, appearing in 155 games across parts of two seasons. Last year, he played in just 65 games before being removed from the 40-man roster on October 1 and sent to Triple-A Gwinnett after slashing .167/.231/.300. He elected free agency the following day.
Just before the New Year, Kelenic signed with the White Sox on a minor league deal, hoping to reset his career.
His best season came with the Mariners in 2023, when he slashed .253/.327/.419 with 11 home runs, 49 RBI and 41 walks. His first season in Atlanta saw a dip in some areas, slashing .231/.286/.393, though he still managed 15 home runs with 45 RBI and 32 walks.
Once considered one of the top prospects in baseball, Kelenic was selected No. 6 overall by the New York Mets in the 2019 MLB Draft, signing for $4.5 million.
He was later traded to Seattle as part of the deal involving Robinson Canó, Edwin Díaz and $20 million. Kelenic made his MLB debut with the Mariners on May 13, 2021.
Now, years removed from his top-prospect status, Kelenic is still trying to find his footing — and early returns in 2026 suggest that climb may be getting steeper.
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