Texas Rangers Prospect Series: Part 1

The Texas Rangers are a fun MLB team to watch. The Texas Rangers’ MiLB prospects are just as fun to watch. I’d like to introduce you to Zak Kent. Kent, 25, is arguably the Texas Rangers No. 1 pitching prospect. He was born on February 24, 1998, in Henrico, Virginia. He’s a right-handed pitcher who attended the Virginia Military Institute from 2017 to 2019, where he finished his college baseball career with a combined 12-14 record. He was then drafted with the 265th overall pick in the ninth round of the 2019 MLB Draft by the Texas Rangers.

Kent’s height is 6’3″ and weight is around 208 lbs. Kent has been climbing up the ranks in the Texas Rangers organization. He was part of the 2022-23 Frisco RoughRiders championship team for most of the Texas League’s season. For those who don’t know, the Frisco RoughRiders are the Double-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers. The RoughRiders are based in Frisco, Texas, about 25 miles from Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and Dallas Love Field, and play at Riders Field in Frisco. The RoughRiders won two Texas League titles in 2004 and 2022, respectively.

Sometimes, a professional baseball player can suffer a setback after sustaining an injury. But some setbacks are just blessings in disguise. As a pitcher, Kent’s initial setback contributed to his road to recovery. Here’s more about the Texas Rangers’ star pitching prospect.

In Case You Missed It

The Texas Rangers were reportedly impressed by what Kent did in the season with Double-A Frisco and Triple-A Round Rock. As a result, Texas added Kent to its 40-man roster. Kent impressed in Spring Training and could’ve been a part of the Rangers’ roster if they had some extra room on their roster.

Unfortunately, Kent was on the Injured List (IL) with an oblique injury for most of the season. He pitched pretty well, recording nine strikeouts and allowing just three home runs, in his rehab stint in the Arizona Fall League (AFL). His 9.45 ERA was extremely high, but that was fine as this was his first start in his post-injury life.

Kent was activated off the Round Rock Express rehab list on Saturday, August 5, 2023. He was quickly put on the mound, where he struck out three and allowed one hit and zero walks over three scoreless innings. In short, his reported hard work and determination paid off in his injury recovery and his promising comeback as a right-hander.

Ana’s Final Thoughts

Kent has been spinning quite a story as he moves through the Texas Rangers system. Kent’s journey from the VMI to the Major Leagues has also been quite a story. If Kent does well this year in Spring Training and the Rangers have an open roster spot in the bullpen, the right-hander can become a regular as long as he stays healthy.