Former Dodgers Infielder In Full Dad Mode at the College World Series
Keen Dodger fans who tuned into the College World Series this week might have noticed the name Kaeden Kent.
The son of former Dodgers infielder Jeff Kent, Kaeden got a chance to make a name for himself with the Texas A&M baseball team Monday. In the absence of superstar Braden Montgomery (who left the Aggies’ June 8 game against Oregon), Kent was thrust into the spotlight of college baseball’s grandest stage.
During A&M’s NCAA tournament run, Kent had a .429 average, 14 RBIs, and two home runs. One of those homers was a critical grand slam against Oregon in Game 2 of the super regional.
However, in the bottom of the third inning of Game 2 of the CWS championship series Monday, Kent made a deleterious mistake against the No. 1 seed, Tennessee. The sophomore second baseman reached first base on an error in the outfield. But a baserunning mishap allowed pitcher Drew Beam to pick off Kent at first.
Initially, Kent was called safe, but after further review, the call was reversed and he was out. Watching his son from the stands, Kaeden’s former NL MVP father expressed a harsh but relatable reaction to any baseball parent.
Jeff Kent played in the Major Leagues from 1992 to 2008. He played on the Blue Jays, Mets, Giants, and Astros before joining the Dodgers for his final four seasons. He was a five-time All-Star and four-time Silver Slugger during his playing career.
The younger Kent redeemed himself. In the top of the fourth inning, Vols pitcher Chris Cortez was up to bat with the bases loaded and two outs in a tie game. Kent snagged a ball from second base and tossed it directly from his glove to first baseman Ted Burton to get the Aggies out of the inning unscathed.
By the top of the seventh inning, the Aggies led the Vols 1-0. But, Dylan Dreiling – the recipient of the CWS Most Outstanding Player Award – launched a two-run homer out of Charles Schwab Field to put Tennessee up 2-1. Cal Stark put the final nail in the Aggies’ coffin with a home run. Tennessee won 4-1 to tie the series, then won the following game 6-5 to secure the first Men’s College World Series championship in program history.
By Thursday, Aggies coach Jim Schlossnagle had departed for the University of Texas, and Kent had reportedly entered the NCAA transfer portal.
Photo Credit: James Lang-USA TODAY Sports
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