The Chicago White Sox have signed outfielder Jarred Kelenic as a non-roster invitee, according to Jesse Rogers of ESPN. Kelenic, a 26-year-old outfielder, is a former top prospect in the New York Mets system. Kelenic was drafted in the first round (6th overall) by the New York Mets in the 2018 MLB Draft.
Kelenic is a left-handed-hitting outfielder who was part of the blockbuster 2018 Mets-Mariners trade, in which second baseman Robinson Cano and closer Edwin Diaz went to Queens, and Kelenic was part of the returning package to Seattle.
MLB Struggles For Jarred Kelenic
Kelenic has been vastly underwhelming in parts of five big league seasons, splitting time between the Majors and Triple A. Kelenic struggled massively after being traded to Seattle in December of 2018. Kelenic, in 147 games with the Mariners between 2021-22, posted a combined -1.9 WAR and hit just .181 in 2021, and then was even worse in 2022, hitting for a .141 average.
Kelenic made strides in 2023, posting a 2.1 WAR in 105 games with the Mariners before fracturing his foot in late July after kicking a water cooler. Since this point, Kelenic has not been able to regain any momentum as a hitter. The Mariners traded Kelenic to the Atlanta Braves in December of 2023.
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Kelenic has been up and down between Triple-A and the Braves’ big league roster since then, and he struggled mightily for the Braves in both the majors and the minors this year. Kelenic posted an abysmal -0.5 WAR and hit for a .167 batting average and .531 OPS in 24 games for the Braves in 2025. This comes after Kelenic, the year prior in 2024, appeared in 131 games for Atlanta, posting a 0.4 WAR, a .231 batting average, a .679 OPS, and 15 home runs.
His minor league stint for the Braves Triple A team in 2025 (Gwinnett Stripers) wasn’t all impressive either, in which he posted a .213/.286/.309 slash line in 95 games.
Kelenic Signing Makes Sense For The White Sox
The White Sox are a young team that isn’t projected to be good next year and will be hoping to perhaps maybe catch lightning in a bottle when it comes to the former top prospect. Kelenic has shown some promise at times during his up-and-down Major League tenure, and the White Sox currently have an open right-field spot. Kelenic, still relatively young at 26, has time to prove himself in spring training and possibly win a job out of major league camp.
As for the White Sox, this is purely a depth move with no risk really attached. The White Sox have been active this offseason, with their latest signing of Japanese slugger 1B/DH Munetaka Murakami to a two-year, 34 million dollar deal. The White Sox have also been linked to Japanese starting pitcher Tatsuya Imai, reported by Yahoo Sports Japan. Imai has a posting deadline this Friday at 5 PM ET, in which he must sign with a major league club or return to Japan.
The White Sox are also still actively discussing trades with teams for center fielder Luis Robert Jr. So, as far as the White Sox are concerned, several more moves could be coming this offseason, and this Kelenic signing could just be one of many.
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