New York Mets Officially Sign Waukesha's Jarred Kelenic

WAUKESHA, WI — The New York Mets have officially signed Waukesha West High School student and first-round pick Jarred Kelenic to a $5.25 million contract, according to MLB.com. He will start his pro career with the Mets' Gulf Coast League affiliate in Port St. Lucie, Florida.

Kelenic became just the second high school baseball player from Wisconsin to be taken in the MLB first round in the last 30 years when he was chosen as the No. 6 pick by the New York Mets.

According to a USA Today report, Kelenic took an unconventional route to the MLB draft: "Jarred Kelenic may be the best high school player from Wisconsin to never play high school baseball. Because his high school team’s schedule didn’t begin until late May, he opted instead to hone his skills during summer travel ball and with USA Baseball squads."

MLB scouts say that Kelenic, a 6-foot-1, 195-pound lefthanded centerfielder could develop into a five-tool player after performing as a standout with Team USA. Prior to his junior year at Waukesha West, Kelenic led USA Baseball to the gold medal at the Pan American Games.
The five tools for position players are 1) Hitting 2) Power 3) Running 4) Fielding and 5) Throwing.

“I simply just say that ever since I was really young, I’ve had the highest expectations possible,” Kelenic said in a Journal Sentinel report. “When people tell me, ‘You have the chance to be No. 1, a first-round pick, top 10’ … I expect that out of myself. That’s who I am. But at the same time, it never really hit the public eye until the past two years.”

The Mets see Kelenic as the best high school hitting prospect in the entire draft.

According to Fangraphs: "Kelenic makes so much look easy that you forget how tooled-up he is. He’s an [above-average] runner with a [great] arm, but Kelenic’s advanced feel for loud, all-fields contact is what has him up here. He could hit, hit for power, and stay in center field. He’s rumored to be playing for a travel team this spring to allow scouts more looks than the short high-school season would allow."

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