SECAUCUS, NJ - JUNE 5: Representatives from all 30 Major League Baseball teams fill Studio 42 during the MLB First-Year Player Draft at the MLB Network Studio on June 5, 2014 in Secacucus, New Jersey. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)
With today’s pre-draft report, we are representing the Badger State with future first-round pick, Jarred Kelenic. If Kelenic can stay on the board long enough, he may find a nice home here with the Miami Marlins.
OF Jarred Kelenic
Height: 6’1”
Weight: 196
Age: 18
School: Waukesha West (Wis.) HS
Commitment: Louisville
Wisconsin is not necessarily known for its baseball talent. With that being said, Jarred Kelenic stands out amongst the rest. So much so, he decided that high school baseball was not the best route for him as a player. The Miami Marlins may be a good fit.
Instead, he played on traveling teams year round. The past two summers he played on the prestigious Team USA squad that took home two straight gold medals. On those teams, he was one of the leading offensive contributors. In 2016, he even led the squad in batting average.
Kelenic has one of the best hit tools in the entire draft to go along with solid power to all fields. MLB.com currently has him ranked as the 10th best prospect in the entire draft. Check our entire series of draft primers, here.
Most people around the game believe that he has the talent to be the first player from Wisconsin to ever be selected within the top-10 picks. Yet, when it comes time to pick, front office officials may hold the fact that he is from the cold weather state against the outfielder.
— Baseball America (@BaseballAmerica) May 26, 2018
Hit: 60
Kelenic has the natural ability to consistently barrel up baseballs at the dish, many of his outs are even loud. Scouts praise his approach at the plate. He is a true hitter with what MLB.com calls a “professional approach from the left side of the plate.” The Miami Marlins could always use another left-handed bat.
He has a level swing that stays over the strike zone/hitting zone for a long time. Because of that, his swing mechanics aide in his ability to find barrel so often.
Power: 50
Kelenic has natural raw power and has shown the ability to turn on baseballs for home runs. While he does not have the most power in the draft, it is definitely solid. At his peak, Kelenic should have anywhere from 15-25 home run power.
Run: 55
Kelenic is an above average runner, which helps him on both sides of the ball. His speed enables him to leg out extra base hits as well as track down fly balls in center field.
Arm: 60
Kelenic has solid arm strength from the outfield. If he were to move off of center field later in his career, he will be able to play right field because of his strong arm.
Field: 50
Just as almost every player in this draft, or any draft for that matter, there are questions regarding Kelenic’s ability to stay in center field. He has been praised for his route running and first step quickness and from what I have seen, he should be able to play a passable center field at the very least.
Overall: 55
Kelenic is a truly special player and he has a chance to be the best prep bat in this entire draft. Defensively, he plays in the middle of the diamond (CF) which is a premium defensive position.
Offensively, he is one of the best pure hitters in the entire draft. While others may have more power, his pure hitting ability is like none other. If Kelenic is on the board when it is time for the Miami Marlins to pick, he is a guy that they should seriously consider taking.
In his swing, I see a lot of prime Jacoby Ellsbury with the way that Kelenic is able to cover the zone with a flat bat. While Ellsbury’s swing may line up with Kelenic’s a bit, he might not be the best comparison due to the differences in the way the way they play the game. The biggest difference would be that Kelenic will not have prime Ellsbury’s base stealing ability.
MLB.com compares Kelenic to the former 1997 World Series Champion, Mark Kotsay. While there is a resemblance between Kelenic’s game to that of Kotsay and Ellsbury, I think that Kelenic has a chance to have more power than either of those two guys.
Overall, Kelenic has the ability to be a special talent in the future. He has a very solid skill set across the board as there is not one area of the game that is holding him back. Kelenic should be a starting outfielder at the major league level if all goes right in his development.
MLB Comparison: Mark Kotsay
21 May 1998: Mark Kotsay #7 of the Florida Marlins in action during a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at the Pro Player Stadium in Miami, Florida. The Diamondbacks defeated the Marlins 6-4. Mandatory Credit: Andy Lyons /Allsport /
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