Chuck Garfien’s Spring Training Podcast-pa-looza rolls on with White Sox non-roster invitee Jarred Kelenic, who explains why signing with the South Side felt like the right move at this stage of his career. The Waukesha, Wisconsin, native reflects on growing up playing ball in the Chicago area, handling the spotlight as a former top-10 prospect, and the whirlwind path that took him from being drafted by the New York Mets to a blockbuster trade involving Robinson Cano and Edwin Diaz that sent him to the Seattle Mariners.

Kelenic opens up about the adversity and growth that have shaped his confidence today, why he believes he’s always swung the bat well at Rate Field and Wrigley Field, and how those experiences fuel his belief in what he can bring to the club. He also shares his outlook on what the 2026 White Sox could become and the role he hopes to carve out moving forward.