Superstar prospect Julio Rodriguez getting called up by the Seattle Mariners on Monday may have been the highlight of the week, but Jarred Kelenic wasn’t willing to give up his fair share of the spotlight. Kelenic mashed a home run in three straight games to end Spring Training, leaving Mariners fans thrilled for what’s to come from their two young stars in 2022.
Kelenic’s hot streak to end the spring was even more impressive considering two of his three homers came off of promising pitchers in the Royals’ Amir Garrett and the Reds’ Hunter Greene; Garrett is a lefty closer with a career 10.5 K/9, and Greene is the Reds’ #1 prospect.
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Jarred Kelenic was a major part of the Mariners’ late-season playoff push last season, and hopefully that, combined with his recent tear, will provide plenty of confidence for him heading into the regular season. Along with Julio Rodriguez, Jesse Winker, and Mitch Haniger, Kelenic and the rest of his outfield mates figure to be major players in the middle of the Mariners’ batting order starting on Opening Day in Minnesota on Friday.
Once labeled as a legitimate five-tool prospect, Kelenic figures to have plenty to prove this season, especially with the Mariners hoping to be primary contenders to win the AL West. Hopefully, his dominance the past three days have been a sign of things to come.
As we await Opening Day, be sure to check out Ben Ranieri’s article on what to expect from Jarred Kelenic in 2022, and Curtis Christianson’s encouragement to not forget about Kelenic’s potential to be a star in MLB.