The Nationals are turning to one of their better pitching prospects as they try to keep the pressure on in the National League wild-card race.
Left-hander Jackson Kent is set to join Washington before its upcoming series against the Chicago Cubs and will make his MLB debut this week, according to team sources who spoke Monday on condition of anonymity because the move had not been finalized. He steps into the rotation spot opened by Zack Littell, who was designated for assignment last week.
At 23, Kent arrives with some real momentum. Across 94 1/3 innings between Double and Triple A, he has posted a 3.72 ERA, and his recent gains have come with a noticeable bump in velocity to go with a four-pitch mix that has given hitters problems. The Nationals’ rotation has struggled to keep pace, ranking 25th in MLB in ERA, so Kent’s arrival offers a chance for immediate help.
Washington is 59-61 and comes in off a weekend sweep of the Cincinnati Reds. That pushed the club to within 4 1/2 games of the final National League wild-card spot heading into Monday.
Kent was selected in the fourth round of the 2024 draft, with the Nationals drawn to his pitch-ability, command and extension. Coaches and executives throughout the 2025 season spoke highly of those qualities and of his makeup, while also believing there was still more room for him to grow. After an offseason of training at the University of Arizona and work this season with the Nationals’ revamped player development group, he has added velocity to his arsenal.
His stuff may not jump off the radar gun, but the results have been there. In Rochester, all four of his pitches have generated swings and misses.
He has struck out about 10 batters per nine innings and walked just 2.9 per nine. The organization views him as a smart pitcher with mid-rotation upside who has been able to get both right-handed and left-handed hitters out.
Another top arm in the system, Jarlin Susana, is also moving back toward game action. A person in the organization said Susana is slated to pitch in a minor-league game this week for the first time in nearly a year.
The 22-year-old has been working back from right lat surgery, and coaches have been trying to ease him in, though he has had trouble keeping his heater under 100 mph during rehab. He is expected to make a short appearance for High-A Wilmington on Tuesday.
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Now Washington has turned to Jackson Kent, a prospect being summoned from Triple-A Rochester for his first major league start. The move adds some immediate intrigue to the staff picture, and it also leaves one more roster decision hanging after the game, even as the Nationals try to reset quickly around a rotation spot that suddenly needs an answer. [Read more 🡒]
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