M's Kelenic promoted to Double-A Arkansas
Jarred Kelenic is quickly working his way up Seattle's system.The top Mariners prospect on Saturday was promoted to Double-A Arkansas after 46 games with Class A Advanced Modesto, where he put up a .290/.353/.485 slash line with six homers, a triple, 13 doubles, 22 RBIs and 36 runs scored.
The top Mariners prospect on Saturday was promoted to Double-A Arkansas after 46 games with Class A Advanced Modesto, where he put up a .290/.353/.485 slash line with six homers, a triple, 13 doubles, 22 RBIs and 36 runs scored.
It's the second promotion in just over two months for Kelenic, who started this season with Class A West Virginia and tore up South Atlantic League pitching with a .309/.394/.586 slash line, 11 long balls, three triples, 14 doubles, 29 RBIs and 33 runs scored in 50 games.
"It's a big challenge," Mariners director of player development Andy McKay told MLB.com. "We started this year with the idea he'd go to West Virginia and just stay there. But he quickly showed, 'I'm not at the right level, guys.'
"When we brought him to Modesto, outside of a couple nagging injuries, he's been the best player on the field. The talent and skill is obvious to everybody. But it's the way he prepares himself and the ability to commit to his approach at the plate that is the separator."
Kelenic, MLB.com's No. 24 overall prospect, was pulled in the third inning of the Nuts' game on Friday night. Prior to the contest against San Jose, he'd hit safely in 10 of his last 11 games with six multi-hit efforts. On Thursday against Inland Empire, the 20-year-old outfielder went 3-for-5 with a homer, two RBIs and three runs scored.
The sixth overall pick in last year's Draft, Kelenic was shipped to Seattle last December with
Brian Stultz is a contributor to MiLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @brianjstultz.