Commit/Drafted: Mississippi Age At Draft: 17.9 BA Grade:55/Extreme Tools:Fastball: 55. Slider: 65. Curveball: 60. Changeup: 45. Control: 55.
Knoth entered 2023 with plenty of projection arrows pointing in the right direction. That projection has already started to come to fruition, with Knoth becoming one of the buzziest names among high school pitchers on the rise this spring, a season that included a 19-strikeout perfect game. Knoth is 17 until August, so he’s one of the youngest players in the 2023 class. He’s an athletic 6-foot-1, 190 pounds with a simple, efficient delivery and arm action that he repeats well to fill the strike zone with a fastball that sits at 92-96 mph and reaches 98. That’s an uptick from where his fastball was last summer, giving him a power fastball and a pair of sharp breaking pitches. Knoth has long separated himself for his innate feel to spin the ball, with a sharp, two-plane slider that flashes plus in the low-to-mid 80s. It’s a swing-and-miss pitch for Knoth that he can spin north of 3,000 rpm and could develop into a 70 pitch on the 20-80 scouting scale. His power curveball is another pitch flashing plus with tight rotation that he can spin above 3,000 rpm. His curveball and slider can blend into each other at times, but he throws his curveball with power at 79-82 mph and good depth when it’s at its best. Knoth shows feel for a changeup with fade, though it’s a firm pitch that he doesn’t use much.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
BA Grade: 55/Extreme
Track Record: Entering his senior season in 2023, Knoth had encouraging projection indicators, with the buzz around him increasing during the spring as his stuff took another leap forward at his Long Island high school. A 19-strikeout perfect game only enhanced his profile for scouts. One of the youngest pitchers in the 2023 class, Knoth was 17 on draft day when the Brewers selected him in the supplemental first round at no. 33 overall and signed him for $2 million.
Scouting Report: Knoth is an athletic pitcher with sound arm action and an efficient delivery that he repeats well, helping him throw consistent strikes with his fastball. His velocity increased during the 2023 season and now sits at 92-96 mph and peaks at 98. It’s a strong fastball, but the separator for Knoth is his ability to spin a pair of tight breaking pitches that both eclipse 3,000 rpm. His low-to-mid-80s slider is a potential plus-plus pitch. He snaps it off with sharp break and two-plane depth to miss bats. He throws his curveball with power at 79-82 mph, and while it can blend together with his slider at times, it’s another pitch that flashes plus with good depth. Some scouts prefer his curve to his slider. Knoth’s changeup has solid fade, though it comes in firm and he doesn’t use it much yet, as is the case with most high school power pitchers.
The Future: Knoth is still several years away from being a major league contributor, but he has the potential to develop into a high-end starter who can rack up whiffs with his breaking stuff. He will make his pro debut in 2024, likely with Low-A Carolina. Knoth will be just 18 all season, and his development will take time.
Commit/Drafted: Mississippi Age At Draft: 17.9 BA Grade:55/Extreme Tools:Fastball: 55. Slider: 65. Curveball: 60. Changeup: 45. Control: 55.
Knoth entered 2023 with plenty of projection arrows pointing in the right direction. That projection has already started to come to fruition, with Knoth becoming one of the buzziest names among high school pitchers on the rise this spring, a season that included a 19-strikeout perfect game. Knoth is 17 until August, so he’s one of the youngest players in the 2023 class. He’s an athletic 6-foot-1, 190 pounds with a simple, efficient delivery and arm action that he repeats well to fill the strike zone with a fastball that sits at 92-96 mph and reaches 98. That’s an uptick from where his fastball was last summer, giving him a power fastball and a pair of sharp breaking pitches. Knoth has long separated himself for his innate feel to spin the ball, with a sharp, two-plane slider that flashes plus in the low-to-mid 80s. It’s a swing-and-miss pitch for Knoth that he can spin north of 3,000 rpm and could develop into a 70 pitch on the 20-80 scouting scale. His power curveball is another pitch flashing plus with tight rotation that he can spin above 3,000 rpm. His curveball and slider can blend into each other at times, but he throws his curveball with power at 79-82 mph and good depth when it’s at its best. Knoth shows feel for a changeup with fade, though it’s a firm pitch that he doesn’t use much.
Career Transactions
Carolina Mudcats placed RHP Josh Knoth on the 7-day injured list.
Carolina Mudcats placed RHP Josh Knoth on the 7-day injured list.
RHP Josh Knoth assigned to Carolina Mudcats from ACL Brewers.
RHP Josh Knoth assigned to Milwaukee Brewers.
RHP Josh Knoth assigned to College Workout.
High School Workout activated RHP Josh Knoth.
High School Workout activated RHP Josh Knoth.
High School Workout activated RHP Josh Knoth.
RHP Josh Knoth assigned to High School Workout.
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