The Jarred Kelenic experiment has not gone very well for the Atlanta Braves. Kelenic was sent down to Triple-A Gwinnett earlier this year, and the Braves opted to go with guys like Alex Verdugo, Stuart Fairchild, and Eli White. They weren’t any better than Kelenic, but the Braves thought it was more important for Kelenic to go down to Gwinnett and get regular playing time to work on his issues.
Kelenic played only 23 Major League games in 2025 after reaching a career-high of 131 games with the Braves in 2024. When sent down, he hit an unfortunate .167 with a 48 OPS+.
The Braves thought it was more critical for Kelenic to go down to Gwinnett and get regular playing time to work on his issues. Kelenic played only 23 games in 2025 after reaching a career-high of 131 games with the Braves in 2024. When sent down, he hit an unfortunate .167 with a 48 OPS+.
Upon getting sent down to Triple-A, Kelenic’s woes continued. He struggled to make consistent contact, batting just .206 across May and June while striking out in more than 30% of his at-bats. Even in Triple-A, where he’d once been dominant, he looked lost at the plate. The issues that plagued him in Atlanta (chasing breaking balls, mistiming fastballs, and pressing in big spots) seemed to follow him right into the minors.
Over the last few weeks, though, there have been real signs of life. In early July, Kelenic has caught fire, hitting .375 with a .423 on-base percentage (this was written before the 07/08 game) and a much-improved strikeout rate. For a player who posted an .854 OPS in Triple-A during 2023 and has always flashed elite minor league numbers, it’s possible this rough stretch was more about mechanics or confidence than anything permanent.
Kelenic still has tons of potential, and at just 25 years old, Kelenic has time to turn things around and become the impact bat Atlanta hoped he would be.
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