Top 10 Stories of 2015: No. 5 The National Rise of Jarred Kelenic

December 24, 2015

By Matt Huck
Area Scout

Over the next few weeks in addition to highlighting the Top 10 Player Profiles of 2015, we will also highlight the Top 10 Stories in Wisconsin High School Baseball during 2015.

Jarred Kelenic (Waukesha West, 2018) first came on the PBR radar as an eighth grader at the Madison Preseason ID Showcase and impressed with his natural athletic ability. He committed to Louisville in December of last year, and continued to take off in 2015.

His 2015 started off at the Milwaukee Preseason ID Showcase, here is a report on him from the event.

2/8/15 - Verbally committed to Louisville. 6-foot, 165-pound left-handed outfielder, athletic frame already shows lean strength, advanced build for his age. Left-handed hitter, balanced stance, smooth loading action, short stride, lower half works, excellent balance through contact. Athletic setup, looks “hitterish” in the box, has a presence. Easy bat speed, stays on top of the baseball, explosive bat speed for age, gets extension, gap-to-gap approach. 91 mph exit velocity from the tee. Defensively showed natural actions in the outfield. Proper footwork, plays through the baseball well, hands are soft, exchange is clean, high level defender. 6.90 runner in the 60, laser timed. Plus arm strength for age, 88 mph from the outfield, high ¾ arm slot, showed carry. Kelenic is a high follow in the 2018 and continues to be amongst the top prospects in the state.

When the first Class of 2018 rankings came out in April, Kelenic was the no doubt No. 1 prospect in the state. Aside from being a high level position player, Kelenic has also impressed on the mound running his fastball up to 86 mph in the PBR Spring League, with reports of more. While playing with the Rawlings Hitters this summer, Kelenic played in the Inaugural Badger State Battle and was arguably the best hitter in the tournament. Here is a report on him from the tournament.

7/12/15 - 6-foot-1, 185-pound, left-handed hitting outfielder with an athletic frame. Currently ranked No. 1 in the Wisconsin Class of 2018. No. 5 in PBR Overall ranks. Louisville commit. Offensively hits from a balanced, crouched stance. Consistently showed the ability to barrel up pitches. Strong thru contact. Short path with explosive bat speed. Went 1-2 in game with a double and two RBIs.

Kelenic made the rounds nationally after being selected to the Underclass Area Code Games in Long Beach this August. He was featured in the November 18^th edition of The Hotlist as a recent 2018 Standout.

From The Hotlist: Kelenic is already near the top of the 2018 class and he has only justified that ranking with his summer and fall performance. He has an athletic frame at 6-foot-1, 185 pounds. He hits from a balanced, crouched stance and he routinely barrels pitches. He’s strong through contact with a short path and good bat speed.

Kelenic finished 2015 ranked No. 5 in the PBR Class of 2018 Overall Ranks. He continues to get better the more we see him and will continued to be watched closely in the coming years.