Sam Knowlton

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #271 prospect in 2023 draft
  School: South Alabama Source: 4YR
  
  Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
  Age At Draft: 23.1
  Knowlton missed the 2022 season as he recovered from Tommy John surgery, but has been one of the hardest-throwing pitchers in the country in 2023 now that he’s healthy and back on the mound. Listed at 6-foot-8, 255 pounds, Knowlton has a massive frame and massive arm talent to go with it, but he’s still learning how to pitch. This spring he posted a 6.65 ERA over 23 innings, with a 20.7% strikeout rate and 18.9% walk rate. He averaged over 97 mph on his fastball and has gotten the pitch up to 101 mph at peak velocity. As would be expected of someone who throws that hard, Knowlton pitches heavily off the fastball and used it at an 83% clip in the spring. He has around 17 inches of induced vertical break, though he generated just a 21% whiff rate with it. Knowlton had a mid-80s slider and a changeup around 90, but he needs to develop significantly more feel for both pitches before they are effective offerings. Knowlton could be drafted among the top five rounds thanks to his premium velocity and size, but a team will need to help him take massive steps forward with control to fully harness his high-octane stuff.