Bryce on Kelenic: 'His greatness is what got him here'

This story was excerpted from Daniel Kramer’s Mariners Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

PHILADELPHIA -- Jarred Kelenic’s eyes lit up when told who was in the house this week at Citizens Bank Park.

“He’s here?” Kelenic said eagerly when informed that Bryce Harper was on the field for a pregame workout on Tuesday. Harper has remained with the Phillies while recovering from Tommy John surgery instead of going on a rehab assignment, which is why Kelenic didn’t know he was in town.

The two-time NL MVP was Kelenic’s favorite player growing up. Turns out, the respect is mutual.

“I love his swing,” Harper said. “I know he struggled a little bit getting up here and things like that. But now he's finally got that chance to kind of shine.”

Harper did early work on the field throughout the series, fielding ground balls at first base, sliding feet first and taking live BP. It was all much more extensive than a typical pregame routine because he’d prefer to remain with the big league club and not rehab in the Minors. That said, it prompted young Mariners hitters to watch from the visiting dugout, way before gates opened to the public.

Kelenic was among them, but he didn’t introduce himself because he thought doing so might be an inconvenience. Harper, however, hopes they get the chance to meet eventually, and he texted Kelenic unsolicited following Thursday’s series finale.

“He’s a good player, man,” Harper said. “And he’s putting it together this year for sure.”

Specifically, Harper called attention to Kelenic’s 424-foot homer on Tuesday that went narrowly right of straightaway center and the three hard-hit balls to the opposite field, all against lefties.

“What he's got going on right now, it's keeping him on pitches,” Harper said. “You can see that especially against a lefty [on Tuesday], him being able to stay off pitches and think that way because he's got the pop to do it. He's got the pop to go to left-center so easily. It's fun to watch. Anybody that can hit the ball to that side of the field, it just opens up so much.”

There might not be a more fitting big leaguer to relate to Seattle’s budding star than Harper, who -- like Kelenic -- came up as a first-round Draft pick, an MLB Pipeline poster boy and with an enormous spotlight on him, all before reaching The Show.

Harper also experienced early-career struggles, but not as pronounced as Kelenic’s, which included Minor League demotions in 2021 and ‘22. Harper was also perceived as uber-confident, perhaps brash or cocky, but he’s been widely respected for his maturity, growth and leadership as he’s crossed 10 years of service time.

“Everyone talks about the fourth deck,” Harper said. “People kind of let the game rush them. But you've got to remember that it's always been the same game since we were 12, 13 years old. That usually helps them a little bit. Just [the Mariners] giving him the opportunity this year, I'm so happy that he actually has that opportunity and going out there playing every single day against lefties, righties, because he can do it.

“Be himself. That's it. That's what's got him here. His greatness is what got him here. Being who he is and being how he's played for a long, long time ever since he was a kid. Being that same kid that comes up and does his job.

Harper was 19 years old when he debuted in 2012 and won his first MVP in ‘15, at age 22. He’s only 30 now, but he’s been around long enough to where today’s youngsters grew up watching him.

After Kelenic homered for his first career hit on May 14, 2021, he mentioned Harper postgame. It came on the nine-year anniversary of Harper’s first deep fly, which Kelenic said he watched live, then on repeat the next morning before school. When told that story -- and that Kelenic was in sixth grade at the time -- Harper was humbled.

“The older you get, that starts happening, right? ... Any time I can be that guy for anybody, I love that,” Harper said.

Kelenic grew up in the YouTube era and explicitly mimicked Harper’s swing as an amateur. He’s incredibly studious with baseball, and a conversation between him and Harper would probably be extensive.

“When you're at a young age, you try to change, but your swing is always the same,” Harper said. “Your swing always goes back to square one -- see the ball, hit the ball, get on time. And that's my biggest thing, right? Get my foot down, be on time, see the ball and let's go.

“As long as you can kind of keep those tendencies going and understand what your swing is, you can change this and change that but you always go back to where your swing has always been. So you can kind of tell that with him right now.”

There are endless similarities between the two players: lefty, power-hitting outfielders with edge and perhaps some polarization. Heck, they also look like each other. And we now know that Harper doesn’t just know about Kelenic -- he’s a fan.

“His future is going to be super bright,” Harper said. “I'm excited to see it.”