History of Jarred Kelenic in Timeline

Jarred Kelenic is an American professional baseball outfielder currently playing for the Chicago White Sox in MLB. He was drafted by the New York Mets in the first round of the 2018 MLB draft before being traded to the Seattle Mariners. Kelenic made his major league debut with the Mariners in 2021. After spending time with Seattle, he was traded to the Atlanta Braves and subsequently to the White Sox. Kelenic is known for being a highly touted prospect who is trying to establish himself as a consistent MLB player.

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Full Timeline Career & Achievements

July 16, 1999: Jarred Kelenic's Birth

On July 16, 1999, Jarred Robert Kelenic was born. He is an American professional baseball outfielder.

Others born on this day/year

2001: Mariners Postseason Appearance

In late September 2022, Kelenic was called up again as the Mariners clinched their first postseason appearance since 2001.

2015: Statcast Era Begins

In 2023, Kelenic began the season on the Opening Day roster and continued his spring training success, eventually hitting a 482-foot home run at Wrigley Field. This was the longest home run by a Mariner during the Statcast era, since 2015.

2016: Named MVP at Pan American Games

In 2016, Jarred Kelenic was named MVP of USA Baseball's U-18 team that won gold at the Pan American Games.

July 2017: Participated in High School Home Run Derby

In July 2017, Jarred Kelenic participated in the High School Home Run Derby at Marlins Park and played in the Under Armour All-America Baseball Game. He also won a gold medal for the U.S. under-18 team for the second consecutive year.

December 3, 2018: Traded to the Seattle Mariners

On December 3, 2018, Jarred Kelenic was traded to the Seattle Mariners along with Jay Bruce, Gerson Bautista, Justin Dunn, and Anthony Swarzak in exchange for Robinson Canó, Edwin Díaz, and $20 million.

2018: Drafted by the New York Mets

In 2018, Jarred Kelenic was drafted in the first round of the MLB draft by the New York Mets.

2018: Drafted and Signed with the Mets

In 2018, Jarred Kelenic was drafted sixth overall by the New York Mets and signed with the team for $4.5 million. He was assigned to the Rookie League Gulf Coast League Mets and later promoted to the Rookie League Kingsport Mets.

2019: Minor League Promotions and All-Star Selection

In 2019, Jarred Kelenic played for the West Virginia Power, the Modesto Nuts and the Arkansas Travelers. He was also named to the 2019 All-Star Futures Game.

2020: Season at Alternate Training Site

In 2020, Jarred Kelenic did not appear in a minor league game due to the COVID-19 pandemic and spent the summer at Seattle's alternate site in Tacoma.

2020: Kelenic spends season at alternate training site.

Jarred Kelenic spent the 2020 season at the team's alternate training site after not signing a contract extension.

February 2021: Contract Extension Controversy

In February 2021, Jarred Kelenic claimed the Mariners kept him in the minor leagues during the 2020 season for refusing to sign a contract extension, leading to controversy after comments from Mariners CEO Kevin Mather became public.

2021: MLB Debut with the Mariners

In 2021, Jarred Kelenic made his MLB debut with the Seattle Mariners.

2021: Ranked as Top Prospect

In 2021, Jarred Kelenic was ranked as the fourth-best prospect in baseball by both MLB.com and Baseball America.

2021: Viewed as Breakout Candidate

Prior to the 2022 season, Jarred Kelenic was viewed as a candidate for a breakout season due to his performance at the end of the 2021 season and his high prospect status.

2022: Optioned to Tacoma and Called Back Up

In 2022, Jarred Kelenic began the season in the majors, but was optioned to Tacoma in May. He was called back up in July and later optioned back to Tacoma after a short stint.

December 3, 2023: Traded to the Atlanta Braves

On December 3, 2023, Jarred Kelenic was traded to the Atlanta Braves along with Marco Gonzales and Evan White for Jackson Kowar and Cole Phillips.

2023: Traded to the Atlanta Braves

After the 2023 season, the Seattle Mariners traded Jarred Kelenic to the Atlanta Braves.

2023: Plate Approach Adjustment and Breakout Potential

Before the 2023 season, Jarred Kelenic worked on adjusting his approach at the plate, and was viewed as a breakout candidate due to his performance after his final call-up in 2022 and the ban on the infield shift.

2024: Kelenic's 2024 Season with the Braves

Jarred Kelenic finished the 2024 season with the Atlanta Braves with a slash line of .231/.286/.393 after initially platooning in left field and later becoming the starting center fielder.

2025: Sent to Triple-A and Opts for Free Agency

In 2025, Jarred Kelenic was sent back to the Triple-A Gwinnett Stripers in April and played in only 24 games for Atlanta. On October 1, he was removed from the 40-man roster and opted for free agency the following day.