Kelenic's new swing adjustments beginning to pay off

NORTH PORT, Fla. -- You certainly wouldn’t know what Jarred Kelenic was hitting if you simply asked Braves hitting coach Kevin Seitzer about the strides the outfielder has made while spending the past few weeks acquainting himself with a new swing and setup.

“He looks sexy as all get out to me,” Seitzer said. “I was like, ‘dadgummit, he’s ready to go.’ He’s just got to let it go.”

Seitzer said this a few hours before Kelenic impressed with a two-hit game in the Braves' 10-9 walk-off win over the Blue Jays on Wednesday. The Braves left fielder lined out to right in the third inning, ended a 12-pitch at-bat with a single in the fifth and then lined another single in the sixth.

So, why was Seitzer already feeling so optimistic about Kelenic, who has gone 5-for-45 with no extra-base hits and 12 strikeouts this spring?

“Because of the way his swing looks,” Seitzer said. “He's pressing like a big dog to try to get results and he's just putting a lot of pressure on himself. I told him, 'My goal is for you to not be so hard on yourself by the time the season starts.'”

That might be easier said than done, especially when adapting to a new swing and a new team, but Kelenic seems to be handling the process.

“I feel like I'm getting better every day,” Kelenic said. “I’m getting my at-bats in the games and getting some on the back fields. But I'm still getting comfortable with a new organization. It takes time. I'm right where I need to be right now.”

Kelenic came to Spring Training with a chance to be the Braves’ everyday left fielder. He’ll exit camp next week, ready to share the position with Adam Duvall, who signed a one-year, $3 million deal on Friday.

These past few weeks didn’t go exactly how the Braves envisioned when they spent approximately $17 million to acquire Kelenic from the Mariners in December, but with Opening Day a week away, the 24-year-old outfielder might be righting himself just in time.

“I’ve been hitting some balls hard and I’ve hit a lot of balls right at guys,” Kelenic said. “So, when it comes to results, you can’t read into it too much.”

When Spring Training began, Kelenic’s hands were above his head when he came to the plate. This led him to too often drop his hands, which negatively impacted his timing. With his hands now lowered and his stance squared, the timing of his swing has been more consistent.

“Before, he had so much movement with his hands, he was late, late, late,” Seitzer said. “Now, he’s early and out front because he’s shorter to the ball. This is what you want. He says, ‘I’m seeing the ball so much longer and this feels so good.’ But he can’t wait on it. So, now it’s about getting the timing, which will come faster if you’re not fighting it.”

Kelenic seemed to fight himself too often going back to 2021, when he made his MLB debut and ranked as the game’s No. 4 prospect. He struggled in the Majors that year and the season that followed. After getting off to a good start last year, he struggled and fractured his foot when he kicked a water cooler in frustration in July. He still hit 11 homers and produced a .746 OPS in 105 games for Seattle.

Seitzer knows the pitfalls a player can experience when putting too much pressure on themselves. He earned an All-Star selection during his second MLB season in 1987, but later endured a few rough seasons, during which he was released multiple times. The game wasn’t fun because he was being too hard on himself. But once he stopped worrying so much, he began producing again and became an All-Star again in 1995.

“I got released right after the [1993] All-Star break and I thought it was over,” Seitzer said. “I prayed to God and said, ‘If you want me to be a trash collector, I guess I’m ready to do it. But if you give me a chance to put a uniform on, I’m going to enjoy it like it’s the last day I’m going to wear it.’”

Kelenic’s mechanical changes could certainly be beneficial, but he may need to relax a little more to truly maximize his tremendous physical talents.

“He’s going to be okay because he’s a tough kid,” Seitzer said. “He’s not scared. There are so many good things about him. This is going to be fun when it clicks.”