Mariners will reportedly call up Jarred Kelenic for next homestand
Mariners top prospect Jarred Kelenic will reportedly make the short trip from Tacoma to Seattle this week.
According to a Monday afternoon report from ESPN’s Jeff Passan, the 21-year-old outfielder, after spending less than a week with Triple-A Tacoma, will be promoted to the big league club ahead of the next homestand.
The Mariners return home Thursday for a seven games against Cleveland and Detroit, and Kelenic is expected to join the clubhouse when they arrive.
The organization had not officially announced the impending promotion as of Monday night.
Kelenic said postgame Monday from Tacoma — where he is hitting .409/.458/.682 through five games — his plan was to head home from the ballpark and get ready for Tuesday night’s game at Cheney Stadium.
“All I can really control is living where my feet are at, and it’s really exciting playing here, having fans back in the stands and playing against a different team,” Kelenic said. “You just can’t beat it. So I’m excited to get back out here tomorrow and do it all over again.”
Kelenic, considered the No. 4 prospect in all of baseball by MLB Pipeline, opened the season with the Rainiers last week, and is 9-for-22 with two homers — both hit in his debut — five RBI, two walks, five strikeouts and two stolen bases. He’s had multi-hit games in four of his five appearances.
Kelenic didn’t specifically address the reports of a probable call up, but said he feels good about his quick start with the Rainiers.
“I feel great,” he said. “I’m really excited to keep it going. Definitely it’s a lot of fun when you’re seeing the ball well.
“But, overall I think as a team too we’re swinging the bat pretty well. We have one game left against El Paso, and try to string together another win.”
Given Kelenic, like so many others who missed out on a minor league season in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, hadn’t played in more than 600 days entering the season-opener last week, he said the early success at Triple-A is reassuring.
“I’m really just trying to go out and have a good at-bat every single time, get a pitch to hit, put a good swing on it, and the rest takes care of itself,” he said. “So, I think, when I look at how I’ve been playing recently ... where I’m at mentally at the plate and physically, I feel really good.”
Kelenic is expected to be in the lineup — for what could suddenly be the final time — in Tacoma on Tuesday night in the Rainiers’ opening homestand finale.
“Honestly going to be going home tonight, going to bed and getting ready for tomorrow’s game,” he said.
This story was originally published May 10, 2021 at 11:25 PM.
