Landon Knack

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Los Angeles Dodgers #11 prospect in 2024
  BA Grade: 45/Medium
  
  Track Record: Knack experienced a velocity bump his senior year at East Tennessee State that sent him rising up draft boards. The Dodgers selected him in the second round in 2020 and signed him for a below-slot $712,500. Knack struggled with his weight and conditioning and suffered repeated injuries early in his pro career, but he overhauled his diet in 2023 and had his best season. Knack set new career-bests with a 2.51 ERA, 100.1 innings pitched and 99 strikeouts as he rose from Double-A to Triple-A. Forearm tightness ended his season in late August.
  
  Scouting Report: Knack is a thick, burly righthander who relies on precision. His fastball ranges from 90-96 mph and is above-average with his ability to command it to both sides of the plate. He gives his fastball tail and run to his armside and drives it down to his glove side. Knack’s short, vertical 82-84 mph slider is an above-average pitch he locates well. His fading, 79-81 mph changeup is a third above-average pitch that plays against both lefties and righties. He also has a fringy, 76-79 mph curveball he throws for strikes early in counts. Nothing Knack throws is exceptional, but his stuff plays up with his surgical precision and execution. He has above-average control and stays off of barrels to induce ground balls. Knack has some effort in his delivery and will occasionally spin out of it, but he pitches efficiently to last deep into games.
  
  The Future: Knack projects to be a back-end starter if he can stay healthy. His big league debut may come in 2024.
  
  Scouting Grades Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 45 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 55 | Control: 55
• 
  Ranked Los Angeles Dodgers #22 prospect in 2023
  BA Grade/Risk: 45/High
  
  Track Record: Knack began his college career at Walters State (Tenn.) JC before transferring to East Tennessee State, where his velocity jumped as a senior to send him rising up draft boards. The Dodgers drafted him in the second round, No. 60 overall, and signed him for an underslot $712,500 in the shortened 2020 draft. Knack impressed in his pro debut, but his stuff and control regressed in 2022 as he battled injuries and conditioning issues. He missed the first month of the season with a hamstring strain--an injury that sidelined him twice the previous year-- and never got untracked as he struggled to a 2-10, 5.01 mark at Double-A Tulsa.
  
  Scouting Report: Knack is a thick, burly righthander who flashes power stuff. His fastball sits 93-94 and touches 96 with above-average rise at the top of the zone to generate swings and misses. He ditched his sweepy, loose slider for a short, vertical one with hard break in the mid-80s that is an above-average pitch he can land for strikes or get chase swings with. Knack's changeup has regressed as his slider has improved, but it's still an average offering in the low-to-mid 80s with solid fade. He also has a below-average 77-80 mph curveball he'll mix in. Knack previously flashed pinpoint control, but he's lost it as his conditioning has worsened. He has poor nutrition and sleep habits that affect his weight and make it difficult for him to maintain his delivery. His poor conditioning is also the root of frequent muscle pulls and strains he suffers every year.
  
  The Future: The Dodgers have challenged Knack to improve his fitness in 2023. Whether he does will determine if he has a major league future.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 55. Curveball: 40. Slider: 55. Changeup: 50. Control: 50
• 
  Ranked Los Angeles Dodgers #7 prospect in 2022
  Track Record: Knack spent two seasons at Walters State (Tenn.) JC before transferring to East Tennessee State, where he had continued success with average stuff and plus control. Knack’s velocity jumped as a senior to vault him up draft boards to the second round, where the Dodgers selected him 60th overall. Knack missed the first month of the 2021 season with a strained hamstring and missed another three weeks later in the year after he re-injured it, but he still rose from High-A to Double-A and posted 82 strikeouts against just eight walks in 62.1 innings.
  
  Scouting Report: Knack sat in the low 90s most of his college career, but his stuff has progressively ticked up. His fastball jumped to 92-95 mph as a senior and now sits 93-96 mph and touches 98 with cut and ride to make it a plus pitch. The added separation from his fastball has also turned his fading, 80-84 mph changeup into a plus pitch he sells with his arm speed to get swings and misses over the top. Knack’s fastball-changeup combination makes him a reverse-splits pitcher who is better against lefties than righties. His low-80s, high-spin slider flashes above-average but needs more power and break, and his average, 77-79 mph curveball is the fourth pitch in his arsenal. Knack is able to stay out of hitters’ hot zones with his plus-plus control. He is a natural strike-thrower who locates in all parts of the strike zone and consistently delivers quick, efficient outings.
  
  The Future: Knack projects to be a steady, reliable No. 4 starter who pitches above that in his best years. He’ll head to Triple-A in 2022.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #113 prospect in 2020 draft
  Knack is the top-ranked senior in the class and a good bet to be the first member of that class selected in 2020. A 6-foot-2, 220-pound righthander, Knack spent two years at Walters State (Tenn) JC, where he showed solid strike-throwing ability and average stuff. The same was the case in 2019 at East Tennessee State, where Knack posted a 2.60 ERA over 15 starts and 97 innings. What changed from the last three seasons in 2020 is the pure stuff. Knack’s fastball velocity made a big jump, going from a pitch in the low 90s to a fastball that bumps 97-98 mph at his best and is 92-95 deep into his outings. His offspeed stuff is more fringy at this point, with all of his secondaries flashing average at times but not in that range consistently. His curveball is his best secondary pitch at the moment, again flashing average at times. There’s some effort in Knack’s delivery and it’s not the loosest or most fluid one you’ll see, but he repeats it well and has a lengthy track record of throwing strikes. His 2020 numbers in 25 innings and four starts are ridiculous, as he racked up 51 strikeouts (the most of any Division I arm) to just one walk. While Knack is right at the top of the list of priority senior signs, his age could limit how high he climbs in the draft. He should go off the board at some point in the third or fourth rounds.

• February, 2023 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 45/High
  
  Track Record: Knack began his college career at Walters State (Tenn.) JC before transferring to East Tennessee State, where his velocity jumped as a senior to send him rising up draft boards. The Dodgers drafted him in the second round, No. 60 overall, and signed him for an underslot $712,500 in the shortened 2020 draft. Knack impressed in his pro debut, but his stuff and control regressed in 2022 as he battled injuries and conditioning issues. He missed the first month of the season with a hamstring strain--an injury that sidelined him twice the previous year-- and never got untracked as he struggled to a 2-10, 5.01 mark at Double-A Tulsa.
  
  Scouting Report: Knack is a thick, burly righthander who flashes power stuff. His fastball sits 93-94 and touches 96 with above-average rise at the top of the zone to generate swings and misses. He ditched his sweepy, loose slider for a short, vertical one with hard break in the mid-80s that is an above-average pitch he can land for strikes or get chase swings with. Knack's changeup has regressed as his slider has improved, but it's still an average offering in the low-to-mid 80s with solid fade. He also has a below-average 77-80 mph curveball he'll mix in. Knack previously flashed pinpoint control, but he's lost it as his conditioning has worsened. He has poor nutrition and sleep habits that affect his weight and make it difficult for him to maintain his delivery. His poor conditioning is also the root of frequent muscle pulls and strains he suffers every year.
  
  The Future: The Dodgers have challenged Knack to improve his fitness in 2023. Whether he does will determine if he has a major league future.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 55. Curveball: 40. Slider: 55. Changeup: 50. Control: 50
• December, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 45/High
  
  Track Record: Knack began his college career at Walters State (Tenn.) JC before transferring to East Tennessee State, where his velocity jumped as a senior to send him rising up draft boards. The Dodgers drafted him in the second round, No. 60 overall, and signed him for an underslot $712,500 in the shortened 2020 draft. Knack impressed in his pro debut, but his stuff and control regressed in 2022 as he battled injuries and conditioning issues. He missed the first month of the season with a hamstring strain--an injury that sidelined him twice the previous year-- and never got untracked as he struggled to a 2-10, 5.01 mark at Double-A Tulsa.
  
  Scouting Report: Knack is a thick, burly righthander who flashes power stuff. His fastball sits 93-94 and touches 96 with above-average rise at the top of the zone to generate swings and misses. He ditched his sweepy, loose slider for a short, vertical one with hard break in the mid-80s that is an above-average pitch he can land for strikes or get chase swings with. Knack's changeup has regressed as his slider has improved, but it's still an average offering in the low-to-mid 80s with solid fade. He also has a below-average 77-80 mph curveball he'll mix in. Knack previously flashed pinpoint control, but he's lost it as his conditioning has worsened. He has poor nutrition and sleep habits that affect his weight and make it difficult for him to maintain his delivery. His poor conditioning is also the root of frequent muscle pulls and strains he suffers every year.
  
  The Future: The Dodgers have challenged Knack to improve his fitness in 2023. Whether he does will determine if he has a major league future.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 55. Curveball: 40. Slider: 55. Changeup: 50. Control: 50
• April, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade: 50/High
  
  Track Record: Knack spent two seasons at Walters State (Tenn.) JC before transferring to East Tennessee State, where he had continued success with average stuff and plus control. Knack&#39s velocity jumped as a senior to vault him up draft boards to the second round, where the Dodgers selected him 60th overall. Knack missed the first month of the 2021 season with a strained hamstring and missed another three weeks later in the year after he re-injured it, but he still rose from High-A to Double-A and posted 82 strikeouts against just eight walks in 62.1 innings.
  
  Scouting Report: Knack sat in the low 90s most of his college career, but his stuff has progressively ticked up. His fastball jumped to 92-95 mph as a senior and now sits 93-96 mph and touches 98 with cut and ride to make it a plus pitch. The added separation from his fastball has also turned his fading, 80-84 mph changeup into a plus pitch he sells with his arm speed to get swings and misses over the top. Knack&#39s fastball-changeup combination makes him a reverse-splits pitcher who is better against lefties than righties. His low-80s, high-spin slider flashes above-average but needs more power and break, and his average, 77-79 mph curveball is the fourth pitch in his arsenal. Knack is able to stay out of hitters&#39 hot zones with his plus-plus control. He is a natural strike-thrower who locates in all parts of the strike zone and consistently delivers quick, efficient outings.
  
  The Future: Knack projects to be a steady, reliable No. 4 starter who pitches above that in his best years. He&#39ll head to Triple-A in 2022.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 60. Slider: 55. Curveball: 50. Changeup: 60. Control: 70.
• December, 2021 Scouting Report
  Track Record: Knack spent two seasons at Walters State (Tenn.) JC before transferring to East Tennessee State, where he had continued success with average stuff and plus control. Knack’s velocity jumped as a senior to vault him up draft boards to the second round, where the Dodgers selected him 60th overall. Knack missed the first month of the 2021 season with a strained hamstring and missed another three weeks later in the year after he re-injured it, but he still rose from High-A to Double-A and posted 82 strikeouts against just eight walks in 62.1 innings.
  
  Scouting Report: Knack sat in the low 90s most of his college career, but his stuff has progressively ticked up. His fastball jumped to 92-95 mph as a senior and now sits 93-96 mph and touches 98 with cut and ride to make it a plus pitch. The added separation from his fastball has also turned his fading, 80-84 mph changeup into a plus pitch he sells with his arm speed to get swings and misses over the top. Knack’s fastball-changeup combination makes him a reverse-splits pitcher who is better against lefties than righties. His low-80s, high-spin slider flashes above-average but needs more power and break, and his average, 77-79 mph curveball is the fourth pitch in his arsenal. Knack is able to stay out of hitters’ hot zones with his plus-plus control. He is a natural strike-thrower who locates in all parts of the strike zone and consistently delivers quick, efficient outings.
  
  The Future: Knack projects to be a steady, reliable No. 4 starter who pitches above that in his best years. He’ll head to Triple-A in 2022.
• July, 2021 Scouting Report
  Knack missed the first month of the season with a hamstring strain but has dominated since arriving at Great Lakes in early June. He remains an elite strike-thrower and has maintained the velocity uptick he showed his senior year at East Tennessee State, sitting 93-96 mph with downhill plane on his fastball. His mid-80s slider and changeup have each flashed plus at their best and his 12-to-6 curveball is another potentially above-average pitch. Knack's workload has been limited like most Dodgers pitchers, but his well-rounded arsenal, pinpoint control and aggressive mentality are earning him mid-rotation starter projections.