Braves’ Jarred Kelenic tries to make most of demotion. ‘I know what I’m capable of doing’

“I don’t look at like this as a ‘down’ by any means,” Kelenic said Wednesday from Coolray Field in Lawrenceville, home of the Triple-A Gwinnett Stripers. “It’s just part of the game. I’m going to go out and — nobody knows what the future holds. I know what I’m capable of doing. I think the organization knows what I’m capable of doing. Nobody knows where, at the end of the year, however long, I’m going to be here. Like, nobody knows. So if I just go out, do my thing, you know, this could be a real positive thing.”

He added, regarding the benefit of his demotion: “Just getting consistent at-bats is going to really help get me into a groove. Go down, get at-bats and get going, that’s how I’m looking at it. That’s when baseball is fun, when you’re in a groove and you know you can play.”

Credit: AP

Credit: AP

Kelenic, 25, hasn’t maintained a groove across his major league career. Kelenic once was considered a premier prospect. The Mets traded him to Seattle in the 2018 Edwin Diaz deal. He and Julio Rodriguez were supposed to comprise two-thirds of the Mariners’ long-term outfield.

Rodriguez became a star and signed a mega contract at 21 years old. Kelenic never could find consistent success. He also became known for his emotional flare-ups, which crescendoed with a July 2023 incident in which he broke his foot kicking a water cooler.

Still, the Braves orchestrated several financially driven moves to acquire Kelenic, whom they touted as possessing the same upside that once placed him among the sport’s best prospects. He was the proverbial change-of-scenery candidate, escaping the pressure to which he’d succumbed in Seattle. He’d become a less-relied-upon piece in the Braves’ mighty lineup.

Initially, the Braves said Kelenic would play every day last season. They added Adam Duvall in the middle of spring training, altering that intention (which was fair, particularly with the Braves in win-now mode and their history with Duvall).

Kelenic ended up hitting .231 with a .679 OPS in 131 games. While the Braves fought for a postseason berth in September, Kelenic was phased out of the team’s regular lineup in favor of journeyman Ramon Laureano. Then the team made a hefty commitment to Jurickson Profar this winter that indicated it sees the future outfield as Profar, Michael Harris and Ronald Acuña. It was a clear indication that the Braves weren’t betting on Kelenic ever realizing his potential.

Yet with Profar currently suspended and Acuña still rehabbing from a torn ACL, Kelenic couldn’t make the most of this clear runway. Alex Verdugo, whom the Braves scooped up at spring training’s end, outplayed him. Eli White, a utilityman, has contributed. The Braves acquired the discarded Eddie Rosario — again — this week and kept Stuart Fairchild as depth while sending Kelenic to the minors.

Credit: AP

Credit: AP

In 23 games, Kelenic didn’t have a multihit effort. He had four extra-base hits. His only standout performance was reaching base four times against the Phillies. He garnered the most attention for his lack of hustle on a ball he hit off the wall.

There was logic in demoting Kelenic so he could play regularly, but the big-picture perspective is that the Braves surely are disappointed it has reached this point. There is no indication when Kelenic could return and what any opportunity would look like.

“At the end of the day, like, the best guys are going to play,” Kelenic said. “I go out and just do what I’m supposed to. All that stuff is kind of out of my control. It’s only going to bring me down if I think about stuff that I can’t control.”

Kelenic handled his interview Wednesday professionally, continuing to cite the importance of regular playing time. Time will tell what becomes of his 2025 campaign — and Braves tenure.

“I think the only way that you are really able to make adjustments and learn is by getting consistent at bats,” he said. “That’s the name of the game. That’s why we play so many games in a row over the course of a season. That’s the only way you really learn, being toe-to-toe with a pitcher consistently four or five times a night. I’m going to be able to do that (here).”