Yankees add outfield depth in Jarred Kelenic

The New York Yankees' quest for outfield depth has led to a former top prospect.

The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders announced on Saturday that outfielder Jarred Kelenic signed a minor league deal with the Yankees. He was assigned to the Triple-A RailRiders.

The 27-year-old had made 36 appearances in the majors between the Chicago White Sox and Texas Rangers in 2026. He posted a .219/.313/.288 batting line in his 83 plate appearances, hitting a home run and two doubles.

New York Yankees latest team to attempt to unlock Jarred Kelenic's potential

Kelenic had been a highly regarded prospect at the beginning of his professional career. He was a consensus top-100 prospect from 2019 through 2021 and was considered a top-10 prospect in 2021. After struggling over parts of two seasons in the majors, Kelenic appeared to be on the cusp of fulfilling his potential in 2023 when he posted a .253/.327/.419 batting line with 11 homers and 25 doubles over his 416 plate appearances while stealing 13 bases.

He was unable to take the next step forward following that season. Although Kelenic hit a career-best 15 homers in 2024 with the Braves, his production slipped as he posted a .231/.286/.393 batting line over his 449 plate appearances. His struggles with the bat have been far worse over the past two years as he has only 148 major league plate appearances since the start of the 2025 season.

It is possible the Yankees could unlock Kelenic's potential. He has crushed Triple-A pitching this season, posting a .310/.408/510 batting line in 266 plate appearances across the White Sox and Rangers organizations, hitting 13 homers and 15 doubles while stealing 17 bases. As a left-handed hitter, he could benefit from the short porch at Yankee Stadium, which could enhance his power potential. If he continues to perform well in Triple-A, he could get a look with the Yankees in the coming weeks.