photo: Zak Kent (USA TODAY Sports)
On Friday afternoon, December 5, the St. Louis Cardinals announced they claimed right-handed relief pitcher Zak Kent off outright waivers from the Cleveland Guardians.
I don’t know what the vernacular is for Cleveland’s version of the I-55 Shuttle, but whatever it is, Kent was a regular last season. His transaction log at MiLB.com indicates that the 27-year-old was optioned to Triple-A at least six times during the 2025 season.
Even so, the Virginia native appeared in just 12 games for the Guardians, posting a 4.58 ERA in 17 2/3 innings. Kent struck out 16 but walked eight (4.1 BB per nine innings pitched).
The rest of 2025, the slider specialist was with Triple-A Columbus, posting a 2.84 ERA in 38 innings over 34 games. He fanned 50 but issued 21 free passes, a rate of 5.0 walks per nine innings. So walks are clearly an issue. His fastball averages a pedestrian 92.6 mph. He also has a sinker and a curveball.
Kent was originally Texas’ ninth-round pick in the 2019 draft from Virginia Military Institute (VMI). He moved up through the Rangers system and first reached Triple-A in 2022, but he then missed most of 2023 due to an oblique strain.
At the end of spring training 2024, the Rangers traded Kent to the Cleveland Guardians in return for international bonus pool space.
After pitching in Triple-A, Kent was designated for assignment, cleared waivers and was released in early July 2024. He re-signed with the same organization a few days later and finished the season in Triple-A.
Kent pitched in the Arizona Fall League twice, for the Rangers in 2023 and the Guardians in 2024.
To open 2025, Kent came to Cleveland’s camp as a non-roster invitee. On April 21, he received his 40-man spot back and joined the Guardians for the first time. The right-hander made his MLB debut two days later.
Kent will not be riding the Triple-A shuttle for the Cardinals, though, unless he is later removed from the 40-man and clears waivers. The reason is that he first joined the Rangers’ 40-man roster in late 2022 to be protected from the Rule 5 Draft. In the meantime, he has exhausted all three of his minor league options.
However, Kent may be eligible for a fourth minor league option, reports Derrick Goold of the Post-Dispatch. If so, the right-hander would be far more useful to the 2026 Cardinals, a team with open jobs in its bullpen.
Otherwise, Kent would need to make St. Louis’ 26-man roster out of spring camp or it would not be guaranteed that he would be around much longer.
With this move and heading into the Rule 5 Draft next Wednesday, December 10, the Cardinals have just one open spot on their 40-man roster.
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