What's behind Jarred Kelenic's dream start in 2023 MLB season? Mariners star finally living up to the hype

Jarred Kelenic has finally arrived. The former top prospect appeared to be on his way out from the Seattle Mariners after a disappointing start to his career. His rookie season saw a dismal -0.1 fWAR and a 55 wRC+. This year, he's already at 1.4 with an absurd 210 wRC+. For reference, Aaron Judge had a 212 wRC+ in 2022.

As a result of his poor season, he decided to revamp his swing. Over the off-season, he worked with Tim Laker, his former hitting coach with the Mariners. For the first four days of training, all the outfielder did was drills, hit off a tee and focus on movements rather than seeing velocity.

It has paid all the dividends. He is currently the league leader in wRC+, ahead of stars Mike Trout, Wander Franco, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Matt Olson, Judge, and more.

He said via the Athletic that his swing instantly felt better:

“I’ll never forget the first swing."

Since then, he has continued to work and get better over the offseason. Even the Mariners probably didn't expect an MVP-level season for Kelenic right off the bat. That's what they've received, though.

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How has Jarred Kelenic's success translated for the Mariners?

Jarred Kelenic's blazing start has helped mask a disappointing start for the team. The Seattle Mariners sit at 11-12, three games behind the AL West-leading Texas Rangers.

Jarred Kelenic is on fire right now

Kelenic's counterparts haven't carried the load. The next best wRC+ aside from his 210 is Ty France's 127. That's a stark difference. Julio Rodriguez is at 107, so the Mariners need everything from Kelenic and more.