The Washington Nationals are expected to call up one of their young arms from Triple A Rochester this week
The Washington Nationals are expected to call up one of their young pieces this week.
A report broke on Monday that the team is expected to select the contract of left handed pitcher Jackson Kent ahead of a potential MLB debut this week.
Kent, 23, will fill the spot on the roster left vacant by the release of veteran Zack Littell, who reportedly inked with the Arizona Diamondbacks this weekend. Though he still has three option years ahead of him, Kent could now arrive with a chance to impress the Nationals for an early spot on the 2027 roster as the young lefty looks to maintain momentum for a bullpen coming off an impressive weekend against the Cincinnati Reds.
Rated the eighth best prospect within the Nationals' farm system, Kent arrived in Washington after being drafted in the fourth round of the 2024 MLB Draft after earning All Pac-12 honors at the University of Arizona. In his third and final season as a Wildcat, Kent posted a 4.08 ERA with 89 strikeouts across 86 innings before earning multiple weekly awards, now looking to do the same in a Nationals uniform.
After beginning his professional career in High A in 2025, Kent appeared in 18 games and tossed 97 strikeouts in 94 innings while owning a 4.31 ERA and 1.18 WHIP. He ended the season spending six games in Double A, posting a 5.59 ERA while holding opposing batters to a .241 batting average.
In 2026, Kent has posted a 9-4 record this season with a 3.72 ERA with 105 total strikeouts against just 30 walks in 94.1 innings. Kent has also held opposing batters to a .216 batting average this season, including a .234 average in Rochester. The bulk of his work came in Triple A Rochester this season where he's tossed more strikeouts than hits allowed, while he's been able to flash his arsenal of pitches with a primarily three pitch mix between his four seam fastball, slider and changeup.
The Nationals will look to build on three consecutive wins against the Cincinnati Reds when they face the Chicago Cubs for a three game series beginning Tuesday night at Nationals Park. Jake Irvin is set to kick off the series for Washington with Miles Mikolas and Cade Cavalli scheduled to close the series against the wild card-leading Cubs as the Nationals enter the series sitting 4.5 games back from the last spot.
