Steven Kent | |
---|---|
Canberra Cavalry – No. 23 | |
Pitcher | |
Born: Canberra, Australia | 8 May 1989|
Bats: Left Throws: Left |
Steven John Kent (born 8 May 1989) is an Australian professional baseball pitcher for the Canberra Cavalry of the Australian Baseball League.
Kent is a four time ABL All-Star. [1] [2] [3] [4]
Kent signed with the Atlanta Braves as an international free agent in 2005 for a $370,000 signing bonus. [5] [6] In 2007 the Australian Baseball Federation named him the youth player of the year. [7] He started his professional career in 2006 playing for the GCL Braves of the rookie-level Gulf Coast League. After a successful return from Tommy John surgery during the 2015–16 ABL season Kent trialed with the Kansas City Royals. [8] In January 2016 it was announced that Kent has signed with his former club the Atlanta Braves. [9] Kent spent the majority of the 2016 season playing with Atlanta's AA side the Mississippi Braves. In September 2016 Kent was promoted to Atlanta's AAA side the Gwinnett Braves. [10]
Kent has played for the Canberra Cavalry [11] in the Australian Baseball League since their opening season in 2010. Before the 2013–14 ABL season he hurt his ulnar collateral ligament in a Baseball ACT game, and had a Tommy John surgery on 2 December 2015, sidelining him for the entire 2013–14, and most of the 2014–15 ABL season. [12]
On 14 November 2015 he threw a 7-inning complete game shutout against the Brisbane Bandits. [13] On 21 November he threw 8⅔ shutout innings against the Melbourne Aces, but gave up a 2-run home run against Brad Harman. [14] He was named as the Pitcher of the Week of 12–15 November and 19–22 November. [15]
On 15 March 2018, against the Belconnen Bandits, he set a new Baseball Canberra single-game strikeout record, striking out 23 hitters in a complete-game shutout. [16] Kent finished the 2018–19 ABL season with a team record and league-leading 7 wins and was named as the best Cavalry player of the season. [17]
On 12 February 2019 he was invited for spring training of Yokohama DeNA Bay Stars of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) with Steven Chambers. [18]
Kent has been a member of Team Australia since he was 17. [19] Kent competed in the 2008 Summer Olympics Qualification, 2011 Baseball World Cup, 2013, 2017 World Baseball Classic [20] 2018 exhibition games against Japan and 2019 WBSC Premier12.
On 20 February 2018, he was selected exhibition games against Japan. [21]
On 8 October 2019, he was selected at the 2019 WBSC Premier12. [22]
On 10 February 2023, he selected at the 2023 World Baseball Classic. [23]