According to Jeff Wilson of DLLS Sports, the Texas Rangers released former top prospect Jarred Kelenic on Sunday, ending his stint with the organization after fewer than two months.
Kelenic joined the Rangers on a minor league contract on June 2 after being designated for assignment by the Chicago White Sox in May.
He was promoted to the major league roster later that month, appearing in seven games and collecting just one hit in eight at-bats before being designated for assignment again.
After electing free agency, he re-signed with Texas on another minor league deal, but the club has now decided to part ways.
The move came despite Kelenic’s impressive production at Triple-A Round Rock. In 27 games, he batted .374 with a 1.105 OPS, five home runs, and 11 doubles.
Overall, he compiled a .298/.403/.571 slash line across 227 Triple-A plate appearances in 2026. However, his struggles in the majors continued, as he hit just .213 with a .539 OPS in 69 plate appearances between the White Sox and Rangers this season.
Originally selected sixth overall by the New York Mets in the 2018 MLB Draft, Kelenic was once regarded as one of baseball’s elite prospects, earning top-five rankings from both MLB Pipeline and Baseball America.
He was traded to the Seattle Mariners later that year in the blockbuster deal that sent Robinson Canó and Edwin Díaz to New York. Kelenic debuted with Seattle in 2021 and showed promise in 2023, batting .253 with 11 home runs and a 111 OPS+, but he was unable to establish long-term consistency.
The outfielder was traded to the Atlanta Braves before the 2024 season, where he hit .220 with a .660 OPS over two seasons before signing with the White Sox ahead of the 2026 campaign.
Now released by the Rangers, Kelenic becomes a free agent once again and will search for another opportunity to continue his professional career, whether with another MLB organization or overseas.
