Mariners Prospects: Jarred Kelenic is the next Carlos Beltran

Median Player comp for Seattle Mariners Jarred Kelenic: Grady Sizemore

For the first few years of his career, there were not too many players in baseball that were more exciting than Grady Sizemore. After growing up and playing high school ball in Everett, Sizemore was taken in the third round by the Expos. It didn’t take too long before he was called up to the majors either.

His rookie year was 2004, as he was called up at 21. After getting the hang of major league ball his first year, he was thrust into the lineup for his sophomore season, and came out with a bang. He would receive well-earned MVP votes that year, hitting .289/.348/.484 with 22 homers, 22 steals, 37 doubles, and 11 triples. It sounds like quite the year, but would actually be his worst of an incredible four-year stretch.

Over the next three years, Sizemore would average .279/.380/.499, with 28 homers, 31 steals, 42 doubles, and seven triples. Oh, and he won Gold Gloves in both 2007 and 2008 at the ages of 24 and 25, respectively.

After a disappointing age-26 season, Sizemore was essentially done from that point on. He would only reach double digits in homers or steals one more time and saw more than 300 plate appearances just once in four more seasons.

Kelenic seems to have the tools to put together similar seasons to what Sizemore did. Multiple 20/20 years, good average, MVP votes, and some Gold Gloves.