Steve Kent Signs With Independent Baseball Team
ACT Native and Cavalry Star Keeps Pitching
By Thom Carter
The Canberra Cavalry are pleased to announce that relief pitcher Steven Kent has accepted a contract from the Kansas City T-Bones of the independent Northern League. Kent, 22, spent the first six years of his career pitching in the Atlanta Braves organisation before being released. He signed a minor league contract with the Kansas City Royals in January of this year and was invited to Spring Training before being released. He was a key player for the Australia Men’s National Team at the World Cup last spring and a dominant presence in the bullpen with the Cavalry.
After Kent was released by the Braves organisation, he returned home to the ACT to work on his craft and look for a second chance. He was chosen to pitch for the Australian Men’s National team in Panama during the Baseball World Cup in 2011. In four appearances he won two games, saved another, and struck out six in just seven and two-thirds innings pitched.
Kent picked up where he left off in Panama when he took the mound for his hometown ABL team, the Canberra Cavalry, in November. He finished the season with a 5-1 record, tied his Australian National Teammate Hayden Beard for the team lead in wins. In 30 and one-third innings pitched last season he struck out 29 batters and only walked 11. He was third in the Australian Baseball League with six saves and was a finalist for the Relief Pitcher of the Award.
“We are really pleased for Steven,” Cavalry General Manager Peter Bishell said. “We know he had a tough spring training with the Royals and to be given an opportunity to keep pitching is great. We are hopeful that pitching for the T-Bones will lead him to his lifelong dream of pitching in the Major Leagues.”
Kent joins four of his Cavalry teammates in independent baseball in the United States for the 2012 season. Kent will continue to be a teammate of Cavalry pitching alumnus Brian Grening on the T-Bones. Catcher Travis Scott signed with the York (Pennsylvania) Revolution. Pitcher Mike McGuire and ABL Offensive Player of the Year Brian Burgamy are suiting up for the Camden (New Jersey) Riversharks.
