Earlier in the offseason, the Atlanta Braves acquired Jarred Kelenic from the Seattle Mariners to sure up the left field spot. To get Kelenic to Atlanta, Alex Anthopoulos had to cough up a 20 year old pitching prospect named Cole Phillips as well as take on some unwanted salary from Seattle.
Phillips was drafted by the Braves in the 2nd round of the 2022 MLB draft and was the 57th overall selection. We know that Phillips has potential, but thanks to the latest news we may not know his true ability for a while.
Cole Phillips was the #Braves' 2nd round pick in 2022 out of high school and had Tommy John surgery prior to the draft. He'd yet to make his professional debut in the Atlanta system before being traded to Seattle for Jarred Kelenic. He'll have an even longer road ahead now. https://t.co/1s5C2DGTWr
— Grant McAuley (@grantmcauley) February 17, 2024
Former second round pick will have his second Tommy John surgery
On Friday afternoon, the news broke that Cole Phillips has undergone his second Tommy John surgery. To recover from the surgery, he will now miss the entirety of the 2024 and even some of the 2025 season. It is safe to say that the Seattle Mariners feel like they have now lost this trade before Spring Training games even begin.
The Braves now have an every day left fielder who has potential. Kelenic’s career numbers do not look great but showed major strides of improvement in 2023. With the ability to join such a high powered offense with great hitters and coaches, Kelenic is in a great position to take his game to the next level.
Last season he hit .253 with 11 homers and 49 RBIs. With the departure of Eddie Rosario and Kevin Pillar, it appears that Jarred Kelenic is going to be trusted with the responsibility of playing every day. This is not something he has been used to in his career so far and will give him more opportunities to prove himself.
As much upside as Kelenic has, all the Mariners got in return for him is a 20 year old pitcher who will not be able to pitch for at least a year and a half. Even if Cole Phillips is able to return later in 2025, there is a good possibility that he doesn't reach the majors for years after. It's saddening to hear, and we wish Cole a speedy recover.