In December, pitcher Zak Kent was acquired by the St. Louis Cardinals after being waived by the Cleveland Guardians. On Friday, the Cardinals let him slip from their fingers as he was taken by the Texas Rangers in a waiver claim, per Rangers PR. 

As a result, the Rangers now have 40 players on their official roster. This past year, Kent pitched in 12 games with a 1-0 record, 16 strikeouts, and a 4.58 ERA. Before then, Kent had pitched six seasons in the minor leagues. Altogether, he accumulated a 13-16 record, 4.38 ERA, and 369 strikeouts. 

Kent, 27, is a native of Henrico, Virginia. He attended Northumberland High School in Healthsville. While there, Kent helped lead them to the 1A State championship in 2014. He finished with a 1.96 ERA and also batted .315. Later on, he attended the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) where he played for three seasons. 

In 2019, the Rangers drafted Kent as the 265th overall pick. His first MLB win came against the Rangers while pitching for the Guardians on Sept. 28. 

The Cardinals finished the 2025 season at 78-84 and didn’t make the playoffs . Meanwhile, the Rangers finished 81-81 and didn’t make the playoffs. During the off-season, St. Louis is looking to bolster its pitching staff through trades, free agency, and development. In mid-December, they acquired left-handed pitcher Dustin May , who previously pitched for the Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers. 

One of their young guns, Matthew Liberatore, expressed confidence in wanting to be the starter for Opening Day . 

Kent is a three-pitch threat. He throws a slider, curveball, and a cutter/fastball combination.