Kent State’s Jaden Varner leans on deceptive lefty value, but 2026 has been a bumpy relief ride
In the 2026 season, Varner has worked 5 games out of the bullpen for Kent State, posting a 6.00 ERA with 4 strikeouts in 3.0 innings, while turning in 3 scoreless outings[1]. At 5-foot-11 and 175 pounds, the senior left-hander gives the Flashes a compact, experienced arm from the left side[1][2]. The headline trait is situational value: he’s a matchup piece with enough strikeout feel to miss bats, but his results have been uneven, so he profiles more as a depth/bridge arm than a set-it-and-forget-it impact reliever right now[1][3].
