White Sox sign Jarred Kelenic, non-roster invite

[Y2Jimmy0]

2 minutes ago, WestEddy said:

Verdugo, Verdahgo. They're all just bodies, pile 'em up, run 'em out. Feel no shame, all teams do this. Kelenic is their particular poison this spring. The weird thing is that MLB has completely f-ed up their off-season, so teams are still building their rosters in the middle of February. It gets tiresome refreshing Twitter for 3 months. 

I’m just not sure what the answer is in a non salary cap league. QO’s really affect the marketplace though. If they got rid of one thing, it should be not penalizing teams for signing players. 

[WestEddy]

Maybe there's more to this signing than a body to rotate in the OF during the WBC. 

 

Jarred Kelenic from his Zoom today: "Chicago is my favorite city that I have ever played in. So, to be able to potentially call that home, I’m looking forward to that."

— Scott Merkin (@scottmerkin) January 14, 2026

 

[DirtySox]

7 minutes ago, WestEddy said:

Maybe there's more to this signing than a body to rotate in the OF during the WBC. 

 

 

I hope he's a late bloomer, realizes his potential, and @Harold's Leg Lift makes his triumphant return to s%*# on us all about it.

[Quin]

On 1/2/2026 at 4:47 PM, southsider2k5 said:

Especially after a couple of years of "character matter" propaganda. 

Luis Robert and Yoan Moncada: Lazy, bad character issues cause they get hurt playing the sport.

Jarred Kelenic: Untapped potential cause he blew up his foot kicking a cooler in rage.

[WestEddy]

Culture > Talent

 

Kelenic on the burgeoning White Sox core: "There are some ballplayers. They want to win. They know what it takes to win. At the end of the day, you want to have a good culture in the clubhouse because the culture will outwin the talent any day of the week."

— Scott Merkin (@scottmerkin) January 14, 2026

 

[CWSpalehoseCWS]

32 minutes ago, WestEddy said:

Maybe there's more to this signing than a body to rotate in the OF during the WBC. 

 

 

Certainly feels like he has a high likelihood to make the team baring a catastrophic ST performance.

[WhiteSox2023]

28 minutes ago, Quin said:

Luis Robert and Yoan Moncada: Lazy, bad character issues cause they get hurt playing the sport.

Jarred Kelenic: Untapped potential cause he blew up his foot kicking a cooler in rage.

There is definitely some irony to Kelenic talking about good culture in the clubhouse.  🤣

Hopefully the guy has turned over a new leaf and actually hits with the Sox.  He’s still only 26 and God knows we need all the outfield talent we can get with Benintendi and Robert on the way out.

But never forget — “…and then his kid passed away…”

Edited 4 hours ago by WhiteSox2023

[Chicago White Sox]

28 minutes ago, CWSpalehoseCWS said:

Certainly feels like he has a high likelihood to make the team baring a catastrophic ST performance.

Why do you think that?

[fathom]

2 minutes ago, Chicago White Sox said:

Why do you think that?

I agree with him

[Bob Sacamano]

31 minutes ago, CWSpalehoseCWS said:

Certainly feels like he has a high likelihood to make the team baring a catastrophic ST performance.

Yeah. As of right now, it feels like it’s “his job to lose.”

[Lip Man 1]

31 minutes ago, WestEddy said:

Culture > Talent

 

 

While I think there is some truth in his statement, baseball history shows plenty of teams that couldn't stand one another but won because they had great talent. 

The Oakland A's won three straight World Series titles despite instances like players literally fighting in the clubhouse before a playoff game and then you had the Yankee teams of the late 1970's aka The Bronx Zoo. 

If I have to choose between character or talent, I'll take talent every time. 

[CWSpalehoseCWS]

3 minutes ago, Chicago White Sox said:

Why do you think that?

Well, for one, when's the last time a team had a Zoom call with a NRI?

[WhiteSox2023]

20 minutes ago, Chicago White Sox said:

Why do you think that?

I don’t think Kelenic’s new comments or apparent ego are a reason he makes the team.

However, this is a total Sox move.  Former top prospect with control left at a position where the Sox are lacking once Benintendi is gone and Robert is traded.  I think they will give him every opportunity to make the team.  I don’t think he’s in a much different boat than Pereira other than being slightly older.

Imagine a dirt-cheap outfield of Kelenic, Pereira, and Montgomery for several years if they all magically perform?  I think Getz is probably fantasizing about it right now.

Edited 3 hours ago by WhiteSox2023

[southsider2k5]

8 minutes ago, Chicago White Sox said:

Why do you think that?

There has definitely been a thing internally for him for a while now.  They are also putting him out front of a lot of stuff for a dude who isn't in their plans.

[chitownsportsfan]

Kelenic speaking on culture is like Mussolini speaking on liberal democracy. 

[WestEddy]

6 minutes ago, Lip Man 1 said:

While I think there is some truth in his statement, baseball history shows plenty of teams that couldn't stand one another but won because they had great talent. 

The Oakland A's won three straight World Series titles despite instances like players literally fighting in the clubhouse before a playoff game and then you had the Yankee teams of the late 1970's aka The Bronx Zoo. 

If I have to choose between character or talent, I'll take talent every time. 

Nobody has to like each other, but all things being equal, a calm clubhouse is better than a distracted clubhouse. Those late 70s Yankees teams went to the world series 4 years out of 6 and won 2. Makes you wonder what they could have achieved if Billy Martin wasn't a drunk and could manage the personalities better. 

[Chicago White Sox]

9 minutes ago, CWSpalehoseCWS said:

Well, for one, when's the last time a team had a Zoom call with a NRI?

That I’m not sure of, but will admit it seems a little odd a face value.  That being said, how often are guys signed to minor league deals assured major league spots?

[SoxAce]

42 minutes ago, WhiteSox2023 said:

There is definitely some irony to Kelenic talking about good culture in the clubhouse.  🤣

Hopefully the guy has turned over a new leaf and actually hits with the Sox.  He’s still only 26 and God knows we need all the outfield talent we can get with Benintendi and Robert on the way out.

But never forget — “…and then his kid passed away…”

 

I love how you of all people continue to s%*# on Kelenic cuz of a comment he made and bring up "good culture in the clubhouse" yet continue to praise Matt Shaw. 

[WhiteSox2023]

5 minutes ago, Chicago White Sox said:

That I’m not sure of, but will admit it seems a little odd a face value.  That being said, how often are guys signed to minor league deals assured major league spots?

True, but I would also be surprised if ~50 or so at bats in ST will dictate his entire future with the team.  I think it will be how well he works with Sox hitting coaches this ST or if he is deemed disagreeable or uncoachable.

[southsider2k5]

7 minutes ago, SoxAce said:

 

I love how you of all people continue to s%*# on Kelenic cuz of a comment he made and bring up "good culture in the clubhouse" yet continue to praise Matt Shaw. 

Who even the Cubs have been trying to get rid of since he got there.

[WhiteSox2023]

12 minutes ago, SoxAce said:

I love how you of all people continue to s%*# on Kelenic cuz of a comment he made and bring up "good culture in the clubhouse" yet continue to praise Matt Shaw. 

As far as I know, Shaw got permission from his team to miss a game to attend a memorial service, and he also discussed it with some of his teammates.

Regarding Kelenic, I never said that he was a completely awful teammate but I did see more incidents that could potentially associate him with that status than with Shaw.  I am too lazy to find links for everything so here is what Google AI spit out…

Edited 3 hours ago by WhiteSox2023

[WhiteSox2023]

5 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

Who even the Cubs have been trying to get rid of since he got there.

Is this a fact?  When I suggested acquiring Shaw, I was told he wasn’t necessarily available via trade and the Sox would have to pay too much in talent to acquire him in the now closed thread.

Edited 3 hours ago by WhiteSox2023

[WestEddy]

15 minutes ago, SoxAce said:

 

I love how you of all people continue to s%*# on Kelenic cuz of a comment he made and bring up "good culture in the clubhouse" yet continue to praise Matt Shaw. 

Kelenic seems immature, and maybe even a little on the spectrum, or at least inarticulate. Yes, I'm goofing on him for judging the Sox as a team that "knows how to win" when I can't imagine how he knows this, or what that even means. Otherwise, I hope he pulls it together and rakes here. I have no praise for Shaw. 

[WestEddy]

9 minutes ago, WhiteSox2023 said:

Is this a fact?  When I suggested acquiring Shaw, I was told he wasn’t necessarily available via trade and the Sox would have to pay too much in talent to acquire him in the now closed thread.

Anything I've read about Shaw since Bregman's signing is that the Cubs see him as a super-utility dude. He's their top prospect. Of course the Cubs would want a s%*#-ton back in trade for him. What do you think the Sox would want for Colson Montgomery?

[southsider2k5]

I guess we are going to do the Shaw thing again, but even the "excused absence" thing isn't it.

https://www.chicitysports.com/chicago-cubs-matt-shaw-trade-alex-bregman-nico-hoerner