Travs’ OF Kelenic on MLB fast path

Jarred Kelenic moved one step closer to his big-league dreams while standing in a dugout in San Jose, Calif.

During a Class A-Adv a n c e d California League game last Friday night against the San Jose Giants, Kelenic was unexpectedly pulled in the middle of the third inning.

Modesto Nuts Manager Denny Hocking approached Kelenic before he was set to trot out to his usual spot in center field and informed him that he had been called up to the Arkansas Travelers.

“I had a card in my back pocket that I use to position the outfielders, and he’s like, ‘Hey, give me your card,’” Kelenic said. “And I was like, ‘Why? What’s going on?’ He goes, ‘Go shower — you’re going to Double-A.’

“It’s just kind of like, ‘Whoa, it happened that fast.’”

Less than four weeks after he’d turned 20 years old, Kelenic all of a sudden was one call away from Class AAA Tacoma.

“It’s rare,” Travelers play-by-play announcer Steven Davis said, referring to Kelenic’s young age for Class AA. “It just doesn’t happen that often.”

Kelenic, a native of Waukesha, Wis., is rated as the No. 1 prospect in the Seattle Mariners’ farm system and the No. 24 prospect in all of baseball, according to the MLB Pipeline database.

The Travelers have been loaded with a bulk of the Mariners’ top 30 prospects all season. With Kelenic’s addition, the Travs now have 15 of the top 30, four of whom are top 100 prospects in the minors.

“It’s definitely something that I try not to look too much into, because it is what it is,” Kelenic said of his top ranking. “At the same time, though, it’s an honor, and I just try to go out and play my game.”

After a standout career at Waukesha West High School, which included stints on the USA Baseball Under-18 team and appearances in both the Under Armour All-America Game and High School Home Run Derby, the New York Mets drafted Kelenic with the sixth overall pick in 2018. Kelenic had been committed to Louisville, but he opted to sign a $4.5 million deal with the Mets instead.

Kelenic was traded to the Mariners in December as part of the deal that included right fielder Jay Bruce, current Travs right-handed pitcher Justin Dunn and right-handed relievers Anthony Swarzak and Gerson Bautista. In return, Seattle shipped off star second baseman Robinson Cano, right-handed reliever Edwin Diaz and $20 million in cash.

“It was definitely surprising,” Kelenic said, “and at the same time, it was like the draft process all over again. I was excited for a new beginning and just took advantage of it.

“I love it here. Everything’s tailored to me. They’re really getting the best out of me and really developing me as a player and a person.”

Kelenic began the season playing for Class A West Virginia Power in the South Atlantic League, before being promoted to Modesto at the end of May.

He batted .309 with a .586 slugging percentage in 50 games with West Virginia, to go along with 11 home runs, 29 RBI, 25 walks and 7 stoles bases. In 46 games with Modesto, Kelenic hit .290, slugged .485 with 6 home runs, had 22 RBI, 17 walks and stole 10 bases.

“This year I’ve definitely matured as a player. Physically, I’ve gotten bigger, stronger, faster,” said Kelenic, who’s put on more than 10 pounds since last season. “But I think mentally has been the biggest thing — learning how to tolerate the failure, and that’s definitely helped me. It’s gotten me to Double-A.”

The night Kelenic found out he was called up from Modesto to North Little Rock — a game the Nuts ended up losing to the Giants, 20-5 — his father, mother and brother had all just flown to San Jose the day of to watch him play.

“They watched one at-bat,” said Kelenic, who struck out in that lone plate appearance.

Kelenic had to hustle home from San Jose’s Excite Ballpark in the middle of the game and scramble to pack up all of belongings.

The next day, he and his family boarded a 6:30 a.m. flight to catch up with the Travelers in Springfield, Mo., where the team was in the midst of a four-game series with the Springfield Cardinals.

“I only got about an hour and a half of sleep that night,” Kelenic said. “It was crazy.”

Kelenic arrived at Saturday’s game during the sixth inning and did not play. He suited up with the Travs for the first time the following day, going 1-for-4 with a strikeout in his debut, with his lone hit coming in his first at-bat. Kelenic received a fastball on the first pitch he saw, and he ripped it to right field for a base hit.

Through five games with the Travs, Kelenic has gone 4-for-20 (.200) at the plate, with two doubles, an RBI, a stolen base and eight strikeouts.

“He’s mature beyond his years. He’s advanced in his knowledge of the game and how he approaches getting ready to play,” Travelers Manager Cesar Nicolas said. “We’re happy to have him here and looking forward to getting him integrated into our team and having him continue to grow and develop.”

His speedy climb up the Mariners’ farm system this year hasn’t been much of surprise to him either. Kelenic said his goals at the beginning of the season were to be selected to the All-Star Futures Game in July, which he was, make it to Class AA and continue to grow with his mental approach.

Kelenic admitted he’s still working on that final part.

“The season’s not over yet and I’m still learning,” Kelenic said. “I’m still trying to get better at the mental side of the game. Even someday when I get in the big leagues, it’s gonna be the same.”

As the Texas League regular season winds down and the playoffs near, Kelenic is simply trying to continue to develop in Arkansas, while also helping the first-place Travs win a championship. Kelenic is living out of a hotel in Little Rock for the rest of the season.

As for how soon he can make it to Seattle, only time will tell.

“I don’t know,” Kelenic said. “Realistically, I think anybody in this league is one call away. It’s completely out of my control, and I’m just gonna go out there and play as hard as I can, like I have been, and who knows — it could happen sooner than later.”

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Jared Kelenic

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