As the White Sox continue to piece together their 2026 roster, they’ve added another reclamation project for hitting director Ryan Fuller and his staff to work with. Outfielder Jarred Kelenic, a former top-ten pick and top prospect, is reportedly joining the White Sox on a minor league deal with an invite to Spring Training. Now 26, Kelenic has struggled to establish himself in five big league seasons between Seattle and Atlanta.
Originally from Waukesha, Wisconsin and a member of the White Sox area-code team, Kelenic was drafted sixth overall by the New York Mets in 2019. He was dealt to the Seattle Mariners the following offseason in the massive trade that sent Robinson Cano and Edwin Diaz to New York. After a trio of excellent performances in the minor leagues, Kelenic got his first major league call-up in 2021, where he hit just .181 but launched 14 home runs in 93 games for Seattle. Kelenic’s OPS tanked to just .534 in 2022 and he was limited to 54 games at the big league level. The Mariners hoped 2023 would be the start of his breakout, and his numbers did improve. Kelenic posted a .746 OPS across 105 games in 2023, but it wasn’t enough for Seattle to hold on to him, and they flipped him to Atlanta the following offseason.
Kelenic crush 💥 pic.twitter.com/IQhnIpBKU7
— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) April 12, 2023
Kelenic set a career-high with 131 games played and 15 home runs for the 2024 Braves, but an on-base percentage under .300 dipped his OPS to .679. He was unable to sustain success at the big league level, and in 2025, he went just 10-for-60 and spent the majority of the season with Triple-A Gwinnett before hitting free agency.
Kelenic adds another high upside option to the White Sox outfield
Kelenic now joins a White Sox team with a wide open right field job entering 2026. He’s always been lauded for his big power, but hasn’t yet made enough contact to fully tap into it. Kelenic used to have a solid walk-rate in the minor leagues, but it’s dropped since his big league career began, so the key may be pitch recognition and swing decisions. The White Sox hitting staff have named these as areas of focus for the team, and Kelenic will be no exception.
The White Sox now have two intriguing upside options for their outfield mix, with Kelenic joining Everson Pereira in Spring Training. Pereira is on the 40-man roster and doesn’t have any minor league options remaining, so he may still be the front-runner to land a roster spot. An impressive spring for Kelenic, however, could land him on the radar and inspire the White Sox to give him a shot. Regardless, he provides an interesting depth option with upside as the White Sox look to find pieces to add to the young core.
With no expectation to compete and a thin outfield mix, Kelenic is exactly the sort of low-risk, high-reward addition that the White Sox should be making at this stage of the offseason. It remains to be seen whether the White Sox will add a more proven veteran option for their outfield mix, or if they’ll stick with flyers, but at the very least, Kelenic will be a player to keep an eye on as Spring Training comes around.