Jackson Kent: The Underrated Prospect Deserving a Shot in the Washington Nationals Rotation
In the world of baseball, where talent and potential are constantly being scouted and analyzed, there are players who fly under the radar, yet possess the skills to make a significant impact. Jackson Kent is one such player, and I believe he deserves a crack at the Washington Nationals rotation. While the team has shown improvement since a disastrous April, the current back-end of the rotation, comprising Miles Mikolas and Zack Littell, is not ideal. Their high ERA and susceptibility to home runs make them too hittable, and I argue that Kent could be the solution.
Kent, an underrated prospect, has the potential to be a number 4 starter for years to come. His combination of solid stuff, deception, and control allows him to rack up strikeouts in the minor leagues. Between AA and AAA, Kent has demonstrated impressive performance, with 90 strikeouts in 78.2 innings and a 3.78 ERA. His recent outing, where he allowed just one run and struck out 8 in five innings, further highlights his capabilities.
However, Kent's season in AAA has been a bit of a rollercoaster. While he has a mediocre 4.69 ERA, his FIP sits at 3.93, and his xERA is 3.31. This discrepancy suggests that Kent's performance has been somewhat inconsistent, with some stellar outings and a few blowup starts. In my opinion, this inconsistency can be attributed to the fact that Kent's stuff is good, but not great. He relies heavily on pinpoint command, and when he loses control, things can spiral out of hand.
What makes Kent particularly fascinating is his ability to adapt and improve. His delivery, reminiscent of Jake Bennett, who the Nats traded this offseason, showcases a big extension down the mound, good command, and average stuff that plays up. While Bennett's game is more about soft contact, Kent's relies on swing and miss. However, the two share similarities, and Kent could potentially achieve big league success like Bennett.
As August approaches, I would love to see Kent get his shot. Despite his ERA not being super impressive, all the underlying numbers suggest he is ready. Kent does a solid job of limiting hard contact, although when he does allow it, home runs come fairly often. One stat evaluators look at is K-BB%, and Kent has consistently performed well in this category. This season, he has a 28.4% K rate and just a 7.3% BB rate, resulting in a 21.1 K-BB%.
What makes Kent an interesting watch is his physical build and delivery. A former high school football player, Kent is built like a linebacker. His delivery has a lot of flying arms and legs, but he manages to repeat it very well. Kent's best pitch is his changeup, which does not pop on stuff models but plays super well off his fastball. This changeup is particularly effective against right-handed hitters.
This season, Kent has seen his velocity increase from the low-90s to the mid-90s, which has significantly enhanced his performance. The increased juice on his heater has made his changeup even more deadly, with a whiff rate of 42.9% in AAA. Overall, Kent's profile is far more intriguing than that of Mikolas or Littell, and he has the potential to be a solid big league starter for years to come.
Drafted in 2024, Kent is still a youngster at just 23 years of age. While he may not have the flashy velocity of some other pitchers, his command and ability to command the ball are invaluable, especially for a left-handed starter. When Kent reaches the big leagues, I could see the team making some tweaks with him, such as throwing a sinker to left-handed hitters or working on his mental game to avoid blowup starts. Despite not getting a lot of headlines, Jackson Kent has the ingredients to be a solid big league starter. I believe the Nats should give him a shot sooner rather than later, ideally after the trade deadline.
