Former Atlanta Braves outfielder Jarred Kelenic is back on the waiver wire. Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News reports that the Texas Rangers have designated Kelenic for assignment.
This marks the second time that the former Braves outfielder has been DFA’d by the Rangers this season. Kelenic played just 17 games for Texas, but logged just 24 plate appearances. He slashed .200/.333/.200 with no extra-base hits.
Once a promising prospect for the New York Mets and Seattle Mariners, the 27-year-old has been a colossal disappointment. Kelenic owns a .211/.283/.371 slash with 50 home runs and an 84 wRC+ in his career.
The Rangers will have five days to either try to outright Kelenic to the minors or release him. Either way, he’ll likely be a free agent again, since he has enough service time to reject an outright assignment.
Recapping Jarred Kelenic’s Tenure With the Braves
GettyJarred Kelenic hit .222 in two seasons with the Braves. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Jarred Kelenic played two seasons with the Braves. Atlanta picked him up, along with starting pitcher Marco Gonzalez and Evan White, in a trade with the Mariners in 2024 for Jackson Kowar and prospect Cole Phillips.
He played mostly in a left field platoon that season, slashing .231/.289/.383 with a career-high 15 home runs. The Braves ended up making the postseason as the National League’s No. 5 seed.
However, Kelenic’s issues at the plate reared their ugly head in 2025. After making the roster, he struggled to provide any consistency at the plate. He spent most of the year with Triple-A Gwinnett, burning his last option. In 24 games with Atlanta, he hit just .219 with a .601 OPS.
Kelenic was outrighted off the 40-man roster following the 2025 season. With three years of service time, he chose to reject the assignment and became a free agent.
Jarred Kelenic’s Career After Leaving the Braves
GettyJarred Kelenic has bounced around two AL clubs since leaving Atlanta. (Photo by Ryan Sirius Sun/Getty Images)
With Jarred Kelenic’s struggles at the plate, he signed a minor league deal with the Chicago White Sox. He didn’t make their Opening Day roster, so he began the year with Triple-A Charlotte.
The White Sox added Kelenic to the club at the end of April. However, he hit just .226 with a .626 OPS with Chicago, leading to his ouster four weeks later. The 27-year-old elected free agency after passing outright waivers.
Kelenic landed another minor league deal, signing with the Rangers on June 2. He spent a pair of stints on their big league roster. He had been previously cut by the club on July 29, but returned on another minor league deal.
With just five weeks left in the season, Kelenic will seek an opportunity to work his way back onto a big league roster.
Ex-Braves Outfielder Jarred Kelenic Cut By Current Team