Braves Prospect Traded for Jarred Kelenic Reportedly Has Second Tommy John Surgery

The Atlanta Braves sent a prospect to the Mariners to get Kelenic, and that prospect's not going to pitch in 2024

Lindsay Crosby | Feb 16, 2024

The Atlanta Braves were busy this offseason on the trade front, making a flurry of deals that ended with Atlanta adding several starters, like outfielder Jarred Kelenic and pitcher Chris Sale, as well as relievers Aaron Bummer and Ray Kerr.

And it turns out that one of those deals might be even better than we initially thought it would be.

Prospect pitcher Cole Phillips, a 2nd-round pick by Atlanta in the 2022 MLB Draft that was moved to the Seattle Mariners as the centerpiece of the deal to acquire Kelenic, reportedly has had a second Tommy John surgery and is expected to miss all of 2024.

The news, which has not been confirmed by the team, was first reported by "Locked On Mariners" host Ty Dane Gonzalez.

I've received word from a source that #Mariners prospect Cole Phillips, acquired in the Jarred Kelenic trade with the Braves in December, underwent a second Tommy John surgery a few weeks ago and is expected to miss the entirety of the 2024 season as well as a portion of 2025.
— Ty Dane Gonzalez (@TyDaneGonzalez) February 16, 2024

Phillips, 20, has yet to pitch in professional baseball after being drafted by the Braves in the 2nd round of the 2022 MLB Draft. A prep pitcher in Boerne, TX, Phillips injured his UCL during his senior season and required Tommy John surgery, but Atlanta still took him in the 2nd round, paying a $1.5M signing bonus.

But after not getting back on a mound in game action by the end of the 2023 season, over 18 months after his April 2022 Tommy John procedure, Atlanta seemingly made the decision to move on from the righthander. Phillips served as the centerpiece of the deal with the Mariners for Kelenic, with struggling major-league reliever Jackson Kowar the 2nd piece leaving Atlanta in the deal.

Slotting into the back end of Seattle's top prospects list by most outlets, several analysts predicted Phillips to break out in 2024 once he finally got on a mound. But with a 2nd Tommy John surgery reportedly already done, the timeline shifts yet again for Phillips and a mid-2025 debut is now the goal.

Once Phillips returns to game action in 2025, he'll be less than two years out from his Rule 5 decision, with most prep draftees (18 and under on draft day) needing to be added to the 40-man roster by the end of the 5th season after their draft year or else be exposed to the Rule 5 Draft.