The New York Yankees have signed Jarred Kelenic, once a highly touted prospect for the Mets and later the Mariners, to a minor league contract. Kelenic, a left-handed hitting outfielder, will join the Yankees' Triple-A affiliate in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Kelenic, 27, has struggled to replicate his minor league success at the major league level. Across stints with the Mariners, Braves, White Sox, and Rangers, he has posted a career .211 batting average with a .655 OPS in 443 games. This season, he did not find success with the major league White Sox or Rangers, but he batted .310 with a .584 slugging percentage in 63 games at the Triple-A level. The Rangers designated him for assignment on Sunday, making him a free agent.
His acquisition by the Yankees marks another attempt to revitalize a career that has not met early expectations. Kelenic was notably part of the 2018 trade that sent him from the Mets to the Mariners in exchange for Edwin Díaz and Robinson Canó. The Yankees add him as potential outfield depth, joining other left-handed hitters like Cody Bellinger and Trent Grisham on the major league roster, and prospects such as Jasson Domínguez in the minor leagues.