White Sox write a predictable chapter added to a controversial NY Mets trade

Before there was Brandon Nimmo for Marcus Semien or even Pete Crow-Armstrong for Javier Baez and Trevor Williams, a generation of New York Mets fans were hollering about the team selling Jarred Kelenic to the Seattle Mariners. The Robinson Cano disaster added with the first year mess Edwin Diaz brought to Queens had this as the one trade fans figured Brodie Van Wagenen would never live down.

Kelenic quickly became a top MLB prospect and in 2021, he made his MLB debut for the Mariners. A rough start that included a .181 batting average didn’t improve all that much a season later when he hit .141 in the majors. Much improved in 2023 with a .253 batting average, he ended up with the Atlanta Braves before quickly flaming out. In parts of two years there, Kelenic batted only .222.

This past offseason, Kelenic was signed to a minor league contract by the Chicago White Sox. 59 plate appearances later and a .226 batting average (better than the .211 in his career) and the surprisingly somewhat competitive White Sox have DFA’d him.

Jarred Kelenic getting dumped by the White Sox is the latest chapter in the controversial Mets trade that sent him away

The trade itself was a deep one. The Mets took on the hefty Cano salary while dumping some other bad contracts on the Mariners. Jay Bruce and Anthony Swarzak headed west. Moreover, this trade became more about how the Mets ended up with one of the league’s best closers, Diaz, while only really giving up the promise of what Kelenic could be. Had they stuck with him, maybe things would have worked out differently for everyone.

We often wonder if Mets players who thrive elsewhere would have done the same if they remained with the Amazins. It’s the exact opposite with Kelenic. Would he have actually been a good Mets player if he remained with the team that drafted him sixth overall in 2018?

Only 26 with his next birthday in July, Kelenic hasn’t done all that much in recent Triple-A stints either. He batted .202 for the White Sox in Triple-A. Last year with the Braves at the same level he hit .213.

Heading into the 2021 season, Kelenic rated as high as the fourth overall prospect in MLB according to MLB Pipeline and Baseball America. The big years on the farm never translated to any MLB prowess even for a single year. Kelenic didn’t flame out quickly. He failed to burn.

His age should have someone picking him up eventually if he doesn’t remain with the White Sox organization. Now out of minor league options, he’ll be someone only worthy of a minor league deal. The Mets wouldn’t, would they? It's a good thing he hits left-handed. The Mets have plenty of footprints in that batter's box.

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