Barrett Kent Excites Angels With Rotation Upside
The similarities between Barrett Kent and Caden Dana are impossible to ignore, both being 6-foot-4, 215-pound righthanders who signed over-slot deals with the Angels as mid-round picks out of high school.
Dana has shined as a 20-year-old at Double-A this season, making him the best possible comparison point among the system’s pitching prospects.
The Angels selected Dana in the 11th round in 2022. They followed with Kent in the eighth round in 2023 out of Pottsboro (Texas) High. He signed for $997,500.
This season, the 19-year-old Kent struck out 44 batters and walked 17 through 36 innings for Low-A Inland Empire. He recorded a 5.25 ERA through eight starts.
But he has shown flashes of Dana’s upside.
“With Barrett, it’s a four-pitch mix with swing-and-miss stuff,” Angels farm director Joey Prebynski said. “He shows a plus fastball. He has a chance for a plus breaking ball, and it’s a developing changeup.
“He’s shown the ability to attack the strike zone and get after guys. He’s definitely a guy we’re excited about, just his overall upside in the rotation.”
Kent’s fastball sits at 92-95 mph and touches 97 with good armside run. His primary secondary pitch is a low-80s slider with a two-plane break, and he’s gaining a better feel for an upper-70s curveball and a low-80s fading changeup.
Kent has a smooth delivery with a good arm action and solid control for a young pitcher, and he should be able to hold his velocity deeper into outings as he gains strength.
“There’s physicality there, but there’s still projection left in his body,” Prebynski said of Kent, who was in big league camp this spring. “There’s going to be room for added strength.
“He’s wired the right way and is a tremendous competitor. The key for him will be the ability to sustain his velocity and stuff throughout the game.”
