Jarred Kelenic’s much-hyped re-debut for the Tacoma Rainiers is on the horizon as the Seattle Mariners quietly designated the organization’s top prospect to their AAA affiliate team.

Kelenic, who is rated in the top 10 of virtually all rankings of MLB prospects, clobbered the low minor leagues throughout much of 2019 but was not able to continue raking in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He opened the season with Tacoma and lit up the opposition, slashing .370/.414/.630 in six games.

Proving that there is no such thing as too small of a sample size, Kelenic finally made it to the big leagues, ready to contribute to a Seattle Mariners squad that oftentimes does not look offensively ready to compete with other MLB teams. Kelenic showed some glimpses of his talent, knocking out a couple of home runs and stealing three bases.

In a year that has seen virtually all good hitters scramble against pitches this season, it is of little surprise to see Kelenic struggle in his major league debut. Although the Mariners apparently preferred method for letting players find themselves is to watch them helplessly flail night after night until an injury finally puts their mind at ease, it was hard to look past Kelenic’s recent issues. After 23 games and 92 at bats, his line of .096/.185/.193 made the fanbase long for the likes of Evan White. Kelenic has not had a hit since May 25 and is currently riding an 0-for-39 streak.

With that, it looks like the “Jarred Kelenic is going to single-handedly save the Seattle Mariners and send them into the playoffs for the first time in 20 years” narrative isn’t coming to fruition in the near future. That said, Kelenic, who turns 22 in a few weeks, still has plenty of time to do what many of the game’s best have done: spend meaningful time in AAA. Kelenic has established in the lower levels of the minors that he has the tools to be a productive major league player. Now, he has the time, space, and lack of pressure to breathe, relax, and remember how to hit the baseball.