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Jeff Kent

Kent with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2008

Second baseman

Born: March 7, 1968 (age 57)
Bellflower, California, U.S.

Batted: Right

Threw: Right

debut

April 12, 1992, for the Toronto Blue Jays

Last appearance

September 27, 2008, for the Los Angeles Dodgers

MLB statistics

Batting average

.290

Hits

2,461

Home runs

377

Runs batted in

1,518

Teams

Toronto Blue Jays (1992)
New York Mets (1992–1996)
Cleveland Indians (1996)
San Francisco Giants (1997–2002)
Houston Astros (2003–2004)
Los Angeles Dodgers (2005–2008)

Career highlights and awards

5× All-Star (1999–2001, 2004, 2005)
NL MVP (2000)
4× Silver Slugger Award (2000–2002, 2005)
San Francisco Giants Wall of Fame

Jeffrey Franklin Kent (born March 7, 1968) is a former professional baseball player from the United States. He played as a second baseman for 17 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). His career spanned from 1992 to 2008. He played for six different teams during that time. These teams included the Toronto Blue Jays and Los Angeles Dodgers.

Kent won the National League Most Valuable Player (MVP) award in 2000. He earned this award while playing for the San Francisco Giants. He holds the record for the most home runs ever hit by a second baseman. From 1997 to 2005, he consistently drove in 90 or more runs each season. Kent was also chosen as an All-Star five times. His 560 career doubles rank him among the top players in baseball history.

Before becoming a professional, Kent played college baseball at the University of California, Berkeley. The Blue Jays selected him in the 1989 MLB draft.

Early Life and High School Baseball
College Baseball Career
Professional Baseball Journey
Life After Baseball
- Consideration for the Hall of Fame
Personal Life and Family
Major Accomplishments
See also

Early Life and High School Baseball

Jeff Kent was born in Bellflower, California. He went to Edison High School in Huntington Beach, California. There, he was a talented shortstop on the baseball team.

During his time in high school, Kent had some disagreements with his coach. This led to him leaving the team. After that, he played in other youth baseball leagues. His skills helped him earn a scholarship to play college baseball.

College Baseball Career

Kent played college baseball at UC Berkeley. He was part of the team from 1987 to 1989. In 1988, he played in the College World Series. He also played summer baseball in the Cape Cod Baseball League. A wrist injury during his junior year affected his season.

Professional Baseball Journey

Starting in the Minor Leagues

The Toronto Blue Jays picked Jeff Kent in the 20th round of the 1989 MLB Draft. He spent three seasons playing in the minor leagues. This helped him prepare for the major leagues.

Time with the Toronto Blue Jays (1992)

Kent joined the Blue Jays for spring training in 1992. He was called up to the main team early in the season. He made his MLB debut on April 12 against the Baltimore Orioles. In his first time at bat, he hit a double. He hit his first home run two days later. An injury to another player gave Kent more chances to play regularly.

Playing for the New York Mets (1992–1996)

On August 27, 1992, Kent was traded to the New York Mets. This trade helped the Blue Jays win the 1992 World Series. Kent received a World Series ring even though he was traded. While with the Mets, Kent showed good hitting skills for a second baseman. However, the Mets were not a very strong team during this period. Kent was known for having a strong personality in the clubhouse.

Short Stop with the Cleveland Indians (1996)

In 1996, the Mets traded Kent to the Cleveland Indians. This trade happened before the trade deadline. After that season, Kent was traded again. This time, he went to the San Francisco Giants. This trade was not popular with Giants fans at first. They were sad to see a popular player leave. The Giants' general manager, Brian Sabean, defended the trade. He said it was a good move for the team.

Becoming a Star with the San Francisco Giants (1997–2002)

Kent during his tenure with the Giants

Kent's career really took off when he joined the Giants in 1997. He played alongside superstar Barry Bonds. With the support of manager Dusty Baker, Kent reached his full potential. In 1997, he hit .250 with 29 home runs and 121 RBI. He was one of the best RBI hitters in the league for the next five years. He had 689 RBI over six seasons with the Giants.

In 2000, Kent won the National League MVP Award. He hit 33 home runs, had 125 RBI, and a .334 batting average. He also had a .986 fielding percentage. Even though Barry Bonds had amazing stats, Kent's important hits in key situations helped the Giants win many games. The Giants won their division that year.

In 2002, Kent had another great year. He hit 37 home runs and had 108 RBI. He also had a .313 batting average. Kent and Bonds helped the Giants reach the postseason. They made it to the World Series for the first time since 1989. They played against the Anaheim Angels. The Giants almost won the championship but lost in seven games.

During this time, there were some challenges for Kent. An incident during spring training left him with a broken wrist. Also, there was growing tension between Kent and Barry Bonds. This tension was widely reported. At the end of the 2002 season, Kent decided to leave the Giants.

Moving to the Houston Astros (2003–2004)

In 2002, Kent signed a two-year contract with the Houston Astros. He wanted to be closer to his family's ranch in Texas. On August 19, 2004, Kent was part of a triple play. This was the Astros' first triple play in 13 years.

From May 14 to June 11, 2004, Kent had a hit in 25 straight games. This set a new record for the Astros. On October 2, 2004, he hit his 288th home run as a second baseman. This made him the all-time home run leader at that position. In Game 5 of the 2004 National League Championship Series, Kent hit a three-run walk-off home run. This gave the Astros a lead in the series. However, the St. Louis Cardinals won the next two games and the series.

Finishing with the Los Angeles Dodgers (2005–2008)

Kent at bat with the Dodgers in 2005

On December 14, 2004, Kent signed a three-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. This was his hometown team. He started at second base for the National League in the 2005 Major League Baseball All-Star Game. This was his fifth All-Star selection. Kent had a strong 2005 season. He led the Dodgers in many hitting categories. He helped the Dodgers reach the postseason in 2006.

Kent's last major league at-bat was on October 15, 2008. He announced his retirement from baseball on January 22, 2009.

Career Statistics Overview

In 2,298 games over 17 seasons, Jeff Kent had a .290 batting average. He collected 2,461 hits, 1,320 runs, and 560 doubles. He also hit 377 home runs and had 1,518 RBI. His career fielding percentage was .978. Kent hit 351 home runs specifically as a second baseman. This is the most in MLB history for that position.

Life After Baseball

Kent and his wife, Dana, live near Austin, Texas. They have four children. Kent owns a cattle ranch in Texas. He also owns a chain of motorcycle and ATV dealerships called Kent Powersports.

In 2009, Kent appeared on a TV show called Superstars. He teamed up with actress Ali Landry. In 2012, Kent was a contestant on Survivor: Philippines. He was the ninth person voted off the show.

Since 2011, Kent has worked as a spring training instructor for the San Francisco Giants. He also coaches his sons' Little League teams. In 2014, he became a volunteer assistant for Southwestern University's baseball team. Kent has also supported the Cal baseball program. He helped raise money to keep it going. In 2014, he created a scholarship for female student-athletes at UC Berkeley.

Consideration for the Hall of Fame

Jeff Kent became eligible for the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2014. Baseball writers vote for players to be inducted. In his first year, he received 15.2% of the votes. Players need 75% of the votes to be inducted. His support grew over the years. In 2023, his final year on the ballot, he received 46.5% of the votes. This was still short of the amount needed. Some reasons for this included his defense and his reputation in the locker room.

Personal Life and Family

Jeff Kent and his wife, Dana, are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Their daughter, Lauren, and eldest son, Hunter, both attended Brigham Young University (BYU). Hunter played on the practice squad for the Cougars.

Kent's son, Colton, played high school baseball in Texas. He also played college baseball. Kent's other son, Kaeden, currently plays baseball at Texas A&M University.

Major Accomplishments

Jeff Kent MVP 2000 autographed baseball

Five-time All-Star (1999–2001, 2004–05)
Four-time Silver Slugger Award winner (2000–2002, 2005)
National League MVP (2000)
Finished in the top 5 for RBIs multiple times (1997, 1998, 2000, 2002)
All-time leader in home runs as a second baseman (377)
Only second baseman to have 100 or more RBIs in six straight seasons (1997–2002)
Hit for the cycle (1999)