Rangers Spring Training Preview: Zak Kent

Zak Kent is one of several players the Texas Rangers protected from the Rule V Draft, even though he hasn't pitched in the Majors yet.

InsidetheRangers.com previews every player on the Texas Rangers 40-man roster heading into Spring Training in Surprise, Arizona.

P Zak Kent

In 2022: Kent hasn’t played in the Majors yet. He’s on the Rangers 40-man roster as a result of the team moving him there to protect him from the Rule V Draft in December. As of January, Kent is the Rangers’ No. 25 overall prospect.

He started last season at Double-A Frisco and had three different stints on the RoughRiders’ injured list. After the last one, he was actually promoted to Triple-A Round Rock. Through it all, he managed to put up some solid numbers, going 3-4 with a 3.94 ERA in 24 games (all starts). He threw 109 2/3 innings. He gave up 100 hits, 52 runs (48 earned), 13 home runs and 43 walks. He struck out 110. Opponents hit .244 against him and he had a 1.30 WHIP.

His numbers were considerably better in his five starts at Round Rock -- ERA was 1.67, opponents hit just .181 off of him and WHIP fell to 1.11. Oddly, the promotion agreed with him when compared to his work at Frisco.

Kent’s Career at a Glance: The Rangers selected Kent in the ninth round of the 2019 MLB Draft, but he needed until 2021 to actually get a taste of a full season of minor-league baseball due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Because of his college experience at VMI, he started in High Class-A Hickory in 2021 and quickly moved up to Double-A by the end of the 2021 season.

Contract Status: Kent has not pitched in the Majors so his service time clock as not started.

In Surprise: Could Kent be a call-up sometime in 2023? At 25, he’s not a spring chicken in baseball terms. The issue is that he hasn’t pitched a full season at Triple-A and the Rangers added four veteran starts this offseason — Jacob deGrom, Andrew Heaney, Jake Odorizzi and Nathan Eovaldi. There is really no room in the rotation for Kent. But there is in the bullpen, but it’s a crowded group of pitchers right now. The expectation should be that Kent ends up starting 2023 in Triple-A with a chance to impress and merit a call-up in 2024.

2023 Texas Rangers 40-Man Spring Training Previews:

Joe Barlow | John King | Dane Dunning | Brett Martin | Jake Odorizzi | Yerry Rodriguez | Owen White | Cole Ragans | Andrew Heaney | Glenn Otto | Josh Sborz | Ricky Vanasco | Cole Winn | Nathan Eovaldi | Jon Gray | Jonathan Hernández | Spencer Howard |

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