D’Shawn Knowles

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Los Angeles Angels #14 prospect in 2022
  Track Record: The switch-hitting Knowles signed with the Angels for $850,000 out of the Bahamas when he was 16 and slowly made his way through the low minors. He made his full-season debut in 2021 at Low-A Inland Empire and showed elite speed and defensive versatility while starting games at all three outfield positions and shortstop. But he also hit just .227/.280/.355 and showed he has a long way to go offensively.
  
  Scouting Report: Knowles shows flashes of ability but has yet to find consistency. At his best, he drives the ball to both gaps with a clean, compact swing from both sides of the plate and average raw power. He has developed into a great base-stealer, is learning to bunt and is working on a better two-strike approach. Knowles also has stretches when he swings and misses at the top of the strike zone in bunches and takes zig-zag routes in center field. He goes to the gaps well and is even better at charging balls with his above-average arm strength and quick release, but he struggles to find the wall going back. Regardless of whether he’s going good or bad, Knowles earns raves for his work ethic, enthusiasm and love of the game.
  
  The Future: Knowles projects more as a speedy utility man than a regular. He’ll move to High-A in 2022.
  
• 
  Ranked Los Angeles Angels #11 prospect in 2021
  TRACK RECORD: Knowles, who signed out of the Bahamas for $850,000, struggled in a repeat season at Rookie-level Orem in 2019 and was not brought to the alternate training site in 2020. But he spent six weeks at instructional league in Arizona, where he earned rave reviews for his strong defense at all three outfield spots, improved baserunning and plate discipline and his ability to make more consistent contact from both sides of the plate.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Knowles is a gap-to-gap contact hitter with plus speed. He has a clean, compact, quiet swing from both sides and average raw power potential, with more pop coming from the left side. He has a chance to hit for more power as he gets bigger and his bat-to-ball skills improve. Knowles was introduced to second base at instructional league in 2019 and will continue to explore the position moving forward. His arm is strong enough to play three outfield spots, and it should play up in the infield.
  
  THE FUTURE: Knowles projects as a high on-base percentage, speedy utility man more than a regular. He will likely start 2021 at low Class A.
• 
  Ranked Los Angeles Angels #13 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: Signed out of the Bahamas for $850,000 in 2017, Knowles was so raw when he signed the Angels had to teach him how to take a professional batting practice. He proved a quick study and raced up to Rookie-level Orem to finish his first season. He returned to Pioneer League in 2019 and regressed, but he was still only 18 and one of the league's youngest players.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Knowles is mainly a contact hitter with a clean, compact, quiet swing from both sides of the plate. He has average raw power potential, with more pop coming from the left side. A highend athlete with plus speed, Knowles is still learning the nuances of baserunning. He is so athletic and versatile the Angels introduced him to second base in instructional league, and he will continue to explore the position moving forward. His arm is strong enough to play all three outfield spots, and it should play up in the infield.
  
  THE FUTURE: Knowles turned 19 in January and still has plenty of time to mature physically and mentally. He might project more as a high on-base-percentage, speedy utility man than a regular. He is set to open 2020 at low Class A Burlington.
• 
  Ranked Los Angeles Angels #13 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: Knowles made huge strides in 2018 and was one of the organization's biggest risers. A solid stint in the Arizona League earned Knowles a promotion to the Rookie-level Pioneer League, where the 17-year-old was one of the top hitters in the league (.949 OPS) in the 28 games he was there.
  
  Scouting Report: Knowles was so raw in 2017 that the Angels had to teach him how to take a professional batting practice. His bat-to-ball skills improved dramatically in 2018, when he learned how to square the ball up consistently. Knowles has plus speed, a solid arm and plus defensive instincts in center field. He has a clean, compact, quiet swing from both sides of the plate with gap-to-gap power. His power should increase as he gets bigger and stronger, but Knowles projects more as a leadoff-type with his speed and contact skills. A fearless, hard-nosed approach in the field and at the plate has served Knowles well.
  
  The Future: If Knowles improves as rapidly in the next two years as he did in 2018, he could develop into a high-end prospect. He'll see full-season ball as an 18-year-old in 2019.
• 
  Ranked Los Angeles Angels #21 prospect in 2018
  The Angels spent $850,000 to sign Knowles as their second big ticket signing of the 2016 international class along with fellow Bahamian Trent Deveaux. Knowles is a high-end athlete with borderline plus-plus speed, a solid arm and plus defensive instincts in center field, a position he has a natural feel for. Though several clubs felt that Knowles was raw as a hitter and lagged behind many of the other top players in the class, the Angels believe he has an advanced approach offensively, with good plate discipline, average-to-above power potential and a clean, compact, quiet swing from both sides of the plate. Some scouts had a difficult time gauging Knowles' hitting ability due to the lack of quality competition they saw him face. Knowles is mostly a line-drive hitter with gap-to-gap power that should increase as the slight 16-year-old gets bigger and stronger and gains more experience. The Angels were also impressed with the maturity, work ethic, enthusiasm, high energy and competitiveness Knowles showed in instructional league. “If he said he could tie his shoes faster than you,” player development director Mike Gallego said, “he'd challenge you.”

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Pioneer League #14 prospect in 2018
  Knowles was one of the surprises of the Arizona League with his aggressive, hard-nosed play, and he raised his game even more after moving up to the Pioneer League–especially impressive since the native Bahamian won't turn 18 until early next year. The switch-hitting outfielder showed good bat speed and made hard contact at Orem, projecting to be able to hit for average but with below-average power. Knowles is a plus runner now. He doesn't show that plus speed out of the box, but he displays that speed once up to speed and when chasing down balls in the outfield gaps. Knowles projects to be an above-average runner as his body matures, but he'll still have enough closing speed and athleticism to handle center field. A fringe to average arm would make him playable in right field in a fourth outfielder role. Orem manager Dave Stapleton also had Knowles with him in extended spring training and has seen incredible growth this year. "To see the maturity in this young man is pretty incredible," Stapleton said. "For him to come out of the cocoon … now he's pretty talkative and very vocal in the dugout. He has a ton of upside."

• December, 2021 Scouting Report
  Track Record: The switch-hitting Knowles signed with the Angels for $850,000 out of the Bahamas when he was 16 and slowly made his way through the low minors. He made his full-season debut in 2021 at Low-A Inland Empire and showed elite speed and defensive versatility while starting games at all three outfield positions and shortstop. But he also hit just .227/.280/.355 and showed he has a long way to go offensively.
  
  Scouting Report: Knowles shows flashes of ability but has yet to find consistency. At his best, he drives the ball to both gaps with a clean, compact swing from both sides of the plate and average raw power. He has developed into a great base-stealer, is learning to bunt and is working on a better two-strike approach. Knowles also has stretches when he swings and misses at the top of the strike zone in bunches and takes zig-zag routes in center field. He goes to the gaps well and is even better at charging balls with his above-average arm strength and quick release, but he struggles to find the wall going back. Regardless of whether he’s going good or bad, Knowles earns raves for his work ethic, enthusiasm and love of the game.
  
  The Future: Knowles projects more as a speedy utility man than a regular. He’ll move to High-A in 2022.
  
• July, 2021 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Knowles, who signed out of the Bahamas for $850,000, struggled in a repeat season at Rookie-level Orem in 2019 and was not brought to the alternate training site in 2020. But he spent six weeks at instructional league in Arizona, where he earned rave reviews for his strong defense at all three outfield spots, improved baserunning and plate discipline and his ability to make more consistent contact from both sides of the plate.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Knowles is a gap-to-gap contact hitter with plus speed. He has a clean, compact, quiet swing from both sides and average raw power potential, with more pop coming from the left side. He has a chance to hit for more power as he gets bigger and his bat-to-ball skills improve. Knowles was introduced to second base at instructional league in 2019 and will continue to explore the position moving forward. His arm is strong enough to play three outfield spots, and it should play up in the infield.
  
  THE FUTURE: Knowles projects as a high on-base percentage, speedy utility man more than a regular. He will likely start 2021 at low Class A.
• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Knowles, who signed out of the Bahamas for $850,000, struggled in a repeat season at Rookie-level Orem in 2019 and was not brought to the alternate training site in 2020. But he spent six weeks at instructional league in Arizona, where he earned rave reviews for his strong defense at all three outfield spots, improved baserunning and plate discipline and his ability to make more consistent contact from both sides of the plate.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Knowles is a gap-to-gap contact hitter with plus speed. He has a clean, compact, quiet swing from both sides and average raw power potential, with more pop coming from the left side. He has a chance to hit for more power as he gets bigger and his bat-to-ball skills improve. Knowles was introduced to second base at instructional league in 2019 and will continue to explore the position moving forward. His arm is strong enough to play three outfield spots, and it should play up in the infield.
  
  THE FUTURE: Knowles projects as a high on-base percentage, speedy utility man more than a regular. He will likely start 2021 at low Class A.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Knowles, who signed out of the Bahamas for $850,000, struggled in a repeat season at Rookie-level Orem in 2019 and was not brought to the alternate training site in 2020. But he spent six weeks at instructional league in Arizona, where he earned rave reviews for his strong defense at all three outfield spots, improved baserunning and plate discipline and his ability to make more consistent contact from both sides of the plate.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Knowles is a gap-to-gap contact hitter with plus speed. He has a clean, compact, quiet swing from both sides and average raw power potential, with more pop coming from the left side. He has a chance to hit for more power as he gets bigger and his bat-to-ball skills improve. Knowles was introduced to second base at instructional league in 2019 and will continue to explore the position moving forward. His arm is strong enough to play three outfield spots, and it should play up in the infield.
  
  THE FUTURE: Knowles projects as a high on-base percentage, speedy utility man more than a regular. He will likely start 2021 at low Class A.
• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Signed out of the Bahamas for $850,000 in 2017, Knowles was so raw when he signed the Angels had to teach him how to take a professional batting practice. He proved a quick study and raced up to Rookie-level Orem to finish his first season. He returned to Pioneer League in 2019 and regressed, but he was still only 18 and one of the league’s youngest players.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Knowles is mainly a contact hitter with a clean, compact, quiet swing from both sides of the plate. He has average raw power potential, with more pop coming from the left side. A highend athlete with plus speed, Knowles is still learning the nuances of baserunning. He is so athletic and versatile the Angels introduced him to second base in instructional league, and he will continue to explore the position moving forward. His arm is strong enough to play all three outfield spots, and it should play up in the infield.
  
  THE FUTURE: Knowles turned 19 in January and still has plenty of time to mature physically and mentally. He might project more as a high on-base-percentage, speedy utility man than a regular. He is set to open 2020 at low Class A Burlington.
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Signed out of the Bahamas for $850,000 in 2017, Knowles was so raw when he signed the Angels had to teach him how to take a professional batting practice. He proved a quick study and raced up to Rookie-level Orem to finish his first season. He returned to Pioneer League in 2019 and regressed, but he was still only 18 and one of the league's youngest players.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Knowles is mainly a contact hitter with a clean, compact, quiet swing from both sides of the plate. He has average raw power potential, with more pop coming from the left side. A highend athlete with plus speed, Knowles is still learning the nuances of baserunning. He is so athletic and versatile the Angels introduced him to second base in instructional league, and he will continue to explore the position moving forward. His arm is strong enough to play all three outfield spots, and it should play up in the infield.
  
  THE FUTURE: Knowles turned 19 in January and still has plenty of time to mature physically and mentally. He might project more as a high on-base-percentage, speedy utility man than a regular. He is set to open 2020 at low Class A Burlington.