Wild Things Bring Back LHP Kobe Foster for 2026
WASHINGTON, Pa. (March 3) – The Washington Wild Things have agreed to terms with left-handed pitcher Kobe Foster, the 2022 Frontier League Rookie of the Year and a 2024 Frontier League Midseason All Star, bringing back one of the best in franchise history for a fifth season with the club in 2026. He is the franchise’s leader in career wins (30), innings pitched (353.2) and strikeouts (318).
In 2025, Foster was 5-2 in 12 starts and posted a 2.76 earned run average in 71.2 innings. He allowed 66 hits and walked 20 to go with 47 strikeouts. His third win of the season, coming on July 20 at Sussex County, allowed him to pass Frontier League Hall of Famer Aaron Ledbetter for the career wins lead as a Wild Thing. He passed Chase Cunningham for the innings pitched record in his start August 15 at Québec. Of the 12 starts, eight were ‘quality starts,’ with his second career complete game coming August 3 at Lake Erie, where he allowed five hits and a run with five strikeouts over his nine innings.
Prior to joining Washington last season, he spent the start of the campaign with Quintana Roo in Mexico, where he was 1-2 with a 6.92 ERA in 40.1 innings over eight starts. He struck out 24 and walked just nine in that time and the ERA was inflated by a rough final outing.
Between 2022 and 2024, he was 25-7 in a Washington uniform with a 2.39 ERA in 47 games (45 starts). He spun his only career shutout against Joliet at EQT Park in 2023 and his strikeout record was achieved during his all-star season in 2024. He also set the single-season strikeout record that season with 126 in 117.2 innings. Foster was 10-1 in 2024 with a 2.91 ERA and won both of his playoff starts that season. He was selected as the league’s Rookie of the Year in 2022 after working to a 1.00 ERA in his first 11 pro outings, 10 of which were starts. In 63.0 innings that year, he allowed only 44 hits, walked 15 and fanned 51.
The southpaw pitched for the Perth Heart in the 2023-24 ABL season and was 3-1 with a 3.11 ERA in eight starts for the club. In college, he pitched three seasons at Tennessee Wesleyan, an NAIA power, and was 26-2 with a 1.77 ERA in 33 games (32 starts). In 198.1 innings at the school, Foster walked just 40 and struck out 257 against just 123 hits. He was AAC Pitcher of the Year twice as well as NAIA All-American First Team twice.
He pitched two seasons at Motlow State Community College, appearing in 18 games as a freshman with eight starts and was 8-2 with four saves in 68.2 innings. He struck out 101 versus 24 walks. The next season, he was NJCAA Pitcher of the Week once and selected TCCAA First Team after making 12 starts. He was 8-2 again, but this time with a 1.19 ERA in 75.1 innings to go with just 38 hits allowed, 16 walks and 102 strikeouts. He was a Valley League All Star in 2018 with Front Royal and prepped at Huntland High School, where he was All-State in 2015. He struck out 161 over 109.1 career innings in high school and posted a 1.34 ERA.
The Washington Wild Things will open their 24th season on May 7, 2026, with the homer opener scheduled for Friday, May 15 against the Schaumburg Boomers at EQT Park. For updates, season ticket membership information and more, visit washingtonwildthings.com or follow the team on social media at facebook.com/WashingtonWildThings or @WashWildThings on other platforms.
