St. Louis claims the Guardians pitcher is on the move to add depth

The St. Louis Cardinals have added right-handed reliever Zach Kent to their organization, asking him for a waiver from the Cleveland Guardians, the club announced on Friday. The move fills a spot on the Cardinals’ 40-man roster, bringing it to 39 and ensuring the team can fully participate in the upcoming Rule 5 Draft at the MLB Winter Meetings in Orlando.

Kent made his major league debut with Cleveland in 2025 after six seasons in the minor leagues. In his first MLB action, he appeared in 12 games out of the Guardians’ bullpen, going 1-0 and 4.58 ERA in 17⅔ innings. During that span, the 27-year-old struck out 16 batters while walking eight, resulting in a 21.1% strikeout rate and a 10.5% walk rate. His fastball averaged 92.6 mph, complemented by a little-used sinker at 93.6 mph, while his slider and curveball, both considered plus breaking pitches, were his primary weapons.

Kent relied heavily on his slider last season, using it 39% of the time and holding opponents to a .138 batting average with eight strikeouts, according to Baseball Savant. However, his subpar fastball and inconsistent command were notable weaknesses.

In the minors, Kent pitched 38 innings in 34 Triple-A appearances with a 2.84 ERA. He struck out 50 batters and walked 21, showing the swing-and-miss potential that St. Louis hopes to tap into. The Texas Rangers originally selected him in the ninth round in 2019, and Cleveland acquired him via trade in March 2024.

Kent is out of minor league options but is eligible for a fourth option year, meaning St. Louis could keep him in the major leagues in spring training or try to send him down via waivers. He will compete for a spot on the bench in 2026 alongside Richard Fitts, Gordon Graceoff, Andre Granil, Nick Racket and Chris Roycroft, with an additional opening possible if JoJo Romero is traded. Romero recorded eight saves in nine chances and a 2.07 ERA in 65 appearances in 2025 and is eligible for salary arbitration this winter.

The acquisition of Kent fits into the Cardinals’ broader strategy under new president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom, along with assistant GM Rob Cerfolio and director of player development Larry Dye. Both Cerfolio and Dye spent multiple years in Cleveland and were likely influential in identifying Kent as a potential bullpen asset. The addition comes as the team trades veteran right-hander Sonny Gray and explores options for other players.