Following the end of the regular season, the Atlanta Braves decided to outright a number of players to Triple-A, and among that group was former top prospect Jarred Kelenic, who has since elected free agency.
With the A’s potentially dealing with an injury to right fielder Lawrence Butler heading into the 2026 season, they could end up looking to add some depth in the outfield that also has MLB experience. It wouldn’t hurt if that target has some untapped potential. A huge arm in right field wouldn’t hurt either.
That’s why Kelenic could be a pretty good fit for the Athletics. Obviously, not everyone is going to want to sign up to play in a minor-league park, but at the same time, the A’s could be one of the few teams that could provide him with playing time while also being on a club that’s expected to be competitive.
The 26-year-old wouldn’t even be near one of the top offensive options, so there wouldn’t be pressure on him to have to perform immediately. That said, with the A’s hoping to contend for an AL wild-card spot at the end of the ’26 season, having someone like Kelenic that could provide a jolt—even for a short period of time—could be what the club needs.
Now, there is no guarantee that Butler will miss any time at all in 2026, but there also isn’t a guarantee that he’s going to be ready for the regular season, either. We’re going to wait and see how his recovery process looks following his surgery earlier this week.
In the meantime, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to have options, just in case. If he thrives, that would also make it so Butler doesn’t have to rush back.
Kelenic was a huge prospect in the deal that landed Robinson Cano and Edwin Diaz with the New York Mets back in 2018, and he never really panned out for the Seattle Mariners. Following three seasons of struggle, he was shipped off to the Atlanta Braves after the 2023 campaign, and played in 131 games with the club during the 2024 season.
This year he began the campaign on the roster, but struggled mightily through March and April, batting .167 with a .231 OBP. He was also striking out at a 35.4% clip, which is extremely high for the level of production he was providing.
A change of scenery could be beneficial for him, and the A’s have had success helping guys find their next level at the plate in recent seasons. This year, it was taking Tyler Soderstrom and Shea Langeliers and turning them into big threats at the dish. Soderstrom was striking out 31.2% of the time just two years ago and cut that to 22.6% this year.
Langeliers has been chipping away at his strikeout rate since he debuted, initially sitting at 34.6% in 2022, but this season he was all the way down to 19.7%. Kelenic has a nice walk rate to work with, sitting between 7.1-9.9% over his career, and he has a cannon of an arm in the outfield while providing league average defense.
He has good bat speed, sitting at 73.4 miles per hour, and his chase rate isn’t too bad, sitting at 27% this season, which was better than league average. Unsurprisingly with his strikeout rate, he did whiff a good deal, too, sitting at 41.5% this season (65 plate appearances). When he makes contact, he can do damage.
The big question for the A’s on Kelenic specifically is if he offers enough upside for them to potentially give less playing time to Carlos Cortes. Both are left-handed bats, and Cortes excelled in his role with the club this past season, starting some games while being a key bat off the bench.
It’s also hard to count on the .309 average he put up in his first taste of the big leagues at the age of 28. He could very well repeat those numbers in a similar role, but the track record isn’t there for him just yet. That said, we talked to him about his process before the end of the year, and he could be an excellent bench bat for the club.
The question is how they end up filling Butler’s spot in the outfield—if they have to. Kelenic would certainly be a decent option to consider given his potential, and could even be a decent trade chip for the club if he does he up turning things around.