Former Highly-Touted Seattle Mariners Outfielder Signs With Chicago White Sox

1 week ago 3

The Seattle Mariners are set up for their present and future coming off the most successful postseason run in franchise history.

The Mariners have a core of first baseman Josh Naylor, catcher Cal Raleigh and center fielder Julio Rodriguez signed through the rest of the decade.

Seattle also has its starting rotation under team control for the next several years and has many top 100 prospects that will bolster the team's ranks in the future,

One of the players that was at one point thought to be a part of the M's future, outfielder Jarred Kelenic, will have a new home in 2026.

Kelenic signed a minor league deal with the Chicago White Sox with a non-roster invite to spring training. ESPN's Jesse Rogers was first to report the transaction.

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Several years ago, Kelenic was considered one of the best prospects in baseball. He was the sixth-overall pick in the 2018 MLB Draft and was taken by the New York Mets. He was ranked as high as the fourth-best prospect in baseball in 2021, per MLB Pipeline.

The Mets traded Kelenic to the Mariners on Dec. 3, 2018, in the deal that sent second baseman Robinson Cano and closer Edwin Diaz to the Mets.

Kelenic made his major league debut with Seattle in 2021 and played for the organization through the 2023 season. He was traded to the Atlanta Braves on Dec. 3, 2023, in a deal that netted the M's relievers Cole Phillips and Jackson Kowar.

In his three major league seasons in the Pacific Northwest, Kelenic slashed .204/.283/.373 with a .656 OPS in 252 games and hit 43 doubles, four triples and 32 home runs with 109 RBIs.

Kelenic's best major league season was in '23. He had a slash line of .253/.327/.419 with a .746 OPS in 105 games and hit 25 doubles, two triples and 11 homers with 49 RBIs.

With the Braves, Kelenic played 131 games in 2024 but was unable to carve out a permanent role with the team.

Kelenic spent most of this past season with Atlanta's Triple-A affiliate, the Gwinnett Stripers. He appeared in just 24 major league games in 2025 and had a brief stint on the injured list from Sept. 5-17.

Kelenic hasn't been able to carve out a successful major league career, at least one not indicative of his top 10-prospect status. But maybe he can find new life with the rebuilding White Sox.

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