Jarred Kelenic’s next move might be to follow the path of this current NY Mets player

There are few players in recent times that have garnered more "What If?" scenarios than Jarred Kelenic. Even though hindsight has proven that the New York Mets made the right decision in taking him with the sixth overall pick in 2018 -- only to later cash him in for Edwin Diaz -- many still question what might have happened if things went differently.

That's mostly because after being drafted, Kelenic became a superstar prospect. He posted a cool 124 wRC+ in rookie ball after the selection process, and soon became a consensus top-20 prospect in the sport by flying through the Seattle Mariners' system in 2019. Unfortunately, the Covid-19 pandemic prevented him (and all minor leaguers) from playing in 2020, and he never found a way to make an impact in the majors after debuting in 2021.

He's taken a long, winding road to remain relevant since the Mariners gave up on him prior to the 2024 season, holding unsuccessful stints with the Braves, White Sox, and Rangers in recent years. Now, he's hit another roadblock, as Texas has cut him loose to swim in the free-agent waters once again.

At this point, it's clear he's earned the dreaded "Quadruple-A" label, and he may not get another chance in the big leagues if he just keeps signing minor-league contracts. So, perhaps it would behoove him to follow the path of a current Mets player if he hopes to turn his fortunes around.

Jarred Kelenic could learn a thing or two from Jared Young's path back to MLB relevancy

Jared Young has become a major success story in an otherwise down year for the Mets, which is a testament to the work he's put in since flaming out with the Cubs. Much of that work, of course, came in his sabbatical year in Korea.

After raking in with the Cardinals' Triple-A affiliate in the first half of the 2024 season, Young realized a MLB opportunity wasn't coming. So, he opted to spend the rest of the campaign in the KBO with the Doosan Bears. Suffice it to say, he instantly regained his confidence over the course of his 38 games there, hitting a robust .326/.420/.660 (178 wRC+) with 10 home runs.

That piqued the Mets' interest, and he's flourished in his new organization, including a big season in Triple-A (147 wRC+) a year ago. It wasn't the most straightforward path back, but he's now cemented himself as a big-league option at first base for the foreseeable future.

There's no guarantee that a stint in the KBO or NPB (Japan) would yield the same results for Kelenic, but it's hardly an uncommon path to take these days. Playing in an overseas league while facing different kinds of pitching can do wonders for a hitter's confidence and approach, even if they don't necessarily mash against slightly worse competition. For someone with his pedigree, all it will take is a few strong months to convince another MLB team that he's ready for redemption.

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