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saddles
No More "Bullpen Failure"
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Evan Grant puts Zak Kent at #25.
No. 25 RHP Zak Kent
Age: 24
Height: 6-2
Weight: 205
B-T: R-R
Who he is: Kent was the Rangers’ ninth-round draft choice in 2019 out of Virginia Military Institute after going undrafted out of high school in Heathsville, Va.. He set a Southern Conference record with 132 strikeouts in 97 innings as a junior at VMI. He received a $140,000 signing bonus.
Why he’s here: His slider, curve and changeup might give him the best off-speed mix in the organization. And he used the power slider (85-87 mph) to make two of the best starts in the organization last year at advanced Class A Hickory, going six no-hit innings and then, two weeks later, allowing two hits in seven shutout innings with 13 strikeouts. It was his last start at Hickory before going to Frisco to finish the season. He threw the slider nearly 40% of the time.
What’s his future: Notice anything missing from the above description? Yeah, the fastball. Which is the kind of thing that keeps a guy from being a big-leaguer. It’s average (93-94 mph) in terms of velocity, but he struggled with command. Here’s the thing though: He’s working on it. He impressed the Rangers by spending virtually all fall and winter at the team’s spring training facility and pitching lab to better shape the pitch. Initial reviews have been very positive.
Where he will start ‘22: He should be in the thick of the Frisco rotation after finishing 2021 with six starts there.
No. 25 RHP Zak Kent
Age: 24
Height: 6-2
Weight: 205
B-T: R-R
Who he is: Kent was the Rangers’ ninth-round draft choice in 2019 out of Virginia Military Institute after going undrafted out of high school in Heathsville, Va.. He set a Southern Conference record with 132 strikeouts in 97 innings as a junior at VMI. He received a $140,000 signing bonus.
Why he’s here: His slider, curve and changeup might give him the best off-speed mix in the organization. And he used the power slider (85-87 mph) to make two of the best starts in the organization last year at advanced Class A Hickory, going six no-hit innings and then, two weeks later, allowing two hits in seven shutout innings with 13 strikeouts. It was his last start at Hickory before going to Frisco to finish the season. He threw the slider nearly 40% of the time.
What’s his future: Notice anything missing from the above description? Yeah, the fastball. Which is the kind of thing that keeps a guy from being a big-leaguer. It’s average (93-94 mph) in terms of velocity, but he struggled with command. Here’s the thing though: He’s working on it. He impressed the Rangers by spending virtually all fall and winter at the team’s spring training facility and pitching lab to better shape the pitch. Initial reviews have been very positive.
Where he will start ‘22: He should be in the thick of the Frisco rotation after finishing 2021 with six starts there.
