MEET LANDON KNACK

Posted By on June 16, 2020

With the 60th pick in the MLB player draft, the Los Angeles Dodgers select Landon Knack, a 5th year senior right-handed pitcher out Eastern Tennessee State University, where he majored in accounting.  Knack comes from Dodgers area scout Marty Lamb’s territory, joining Bobby Miller,  Walker Buehler, Will Smith, and Matt Beaty as recent notable draft picks Lamb scouted.  Lamb was also responsible for scouting Clayton Beeter.   

When I first read that the Dodgers had selected Knack with the 60th pick, I admit to thinking “are you kidding me?”   “Who is this guy?”   Why would the Dodgers select him when there were so many “names” still on the board?   Simple truth is, I knew nothing about Knack and because he was a senior, I automatically assumed that the Dodgers were “punting” on this selection.   Perhaps to get an under slot sign to help them sign a stud high school player in a lower round.    Was I ever wrong!!   While this selection came as a surprise to many Dodger fans, apparently, it was not a surprise to Knack.   The Dodgers called Knack the night before, after the first round was complete, and informed him to be ready to hear his name called in the second round. The only person he told was his girlfriend.

Last week Jeff, Harold and I agreed to divvy up the Dodger draft picks to write profiles on them.  I chose Knack and Beeter.   As I began to research this young man, my opinion of him changed rapidly.   As I introduce him to you, I’m convinced that you’ll begin to like and appreciate him as just as much as I have.   I’m happy that we have him on the Dodgers.  Put simply Knack is good!! 

First, there are the eye popping statistics.  In this past abbreviated season, Knack went 4-0 with a 1.08 ERA in four starts. He had an incredible 51 to 1 strikeout-to-walk ratio, which led all of NCAA Division 1 baseball.  That 51-1 ratio was light years ahead of anyone else in the nation.   He held opponents to a batting average of .136.  He led the nation in strikeouts, ranked third with 18.4 Ks per nine innings and was fifth in WHIP (0.52).  This season, Knack issued a walk in his first start, on a 3-2 pitch.  After that, Knack didn’t give up another walk, throwing 315 consecutive pitches without hearing an umpire say “Ball Four!”  He threw 352 pitches all season and only 93 of them(26%) were balls.   That’s amazing! 

His 4 games this season, went like this: Game 1 against Toledo: 5 shutout innings, 11 strikeouts; Game 2 against Rider, he took a perfect game into the 7th, ultimately giving up 1 hit, but striking out 12; Game 3 against Georgia State, he allowed three runs in seven innings, but struck 12; and game 4 against Wagner, he pitched six shutout innings, with 16 strikeouts.   Did I mention that he is good?   And yet, as they say, there is more. 

Landon Knack, was born on July 15, 1997 in Johnson City, Tennessee which just 15 minutes from the Eastern Tennessee State University campus.  His parents are John and Terri Knack.  Landon’s brother-in-law is Will Craig, who plays in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization, for the   AAA Indianapolis Indians.   Knack started playing baseball when he was six.  He began pitching at age 11.  He attended and excelled in sports at Science Hill High School (whose most famous alumnus might be Steve Spurrier).   He also played with Diamond Mine Baseball, which is a youth baseball training program.   Growing up in Johnson City Landon always thought of going to ETSU.  

“I’ve loved ETSU since I was a little kid obviously, being a hometown guy,” he said. “I went to all their camps when I was little, so it means a lot to be in a little bit of the history there at ETSU.”

Unfortunately, getting to ETSU was not a straight line for Knack.  In his senior year at Science Hill High School, Knack tore the labrum in his right (pitching) shoulder diving into a base.   This required surgery. While he did pitch some in his senior year, his fastball topped out at 82 mph.   Major colleges did not come knocking at his door after his senior season, partly perhaps, because of his injury, but certainly because of his performance.  

After recovering from his surgery, Knack enrolled at Walters State Community College, Morristown, Tennessee.   There he was a two-way player.   In 2017, he dislocated his left shoulder while diving into a base and that cost him much of a season.   As a freshman at Wayne State, he only pitched a couple of innings spending most of his time in the infield at first base and with a bat in his hand.   In 2018, Landon was lights out for Wayne State.  Knack was 13-0 in 16 starts with a 3.01 ERA.  He was also effective at the plate, batting .343 with eight doubles, one triple, 11 home runs and 37 RBI.   Knack was named 2018 TCCAA Pitcher of the Year, a 2018 NJCAA second team All-American and the 2018 JBB Two-Way Player of the Year.  Knack was Walters State’s No. 1 pitcher, leading the team to a 60-8 record and a runner-up finish at the JUCO World Series in Grand Junction, Colorado.  At Walters State Knack was primarily known for his fastball command and effective changeup.    He had become so valuable to Walters State as a pitcher, that his coach became concerned about using him as a hitter, afraid he would hurt himself.  During Walters State’s conference tournament, Knack had taken one pitch as a hitter when coach David Shelton called timeout.

“All it takes is one pitch that gets away and hits his hand, and we’ve lost our best pitcher for six weeks,” Shelton said. “So, I told him, ‘I don’t want you pulling a hamstring. No matter where you hit the ball, just jog.’”   Knack obeyed orders.  He hit the ball and jogged … all the way around the bases, for a home run.   “He could’ve been a Division I hitter,” Shelton said. “He’s a lefty bat with big power.”

Shelton, gave Knack the nickname “Snacks.” (You would think it would be “Nick” for some reason) because, during road trips, he would stop at a gas station or convenience store to load up on treats such as peanut butter trail mix with Reese’s Pieces.

“I was a chunkier guy back then,” Knack said. “(Shelton) gave me a lot of crap. He was always messing with me.”

When Knack left Walters State, he weighed 240 pounds with 18.5-percent body fat. Knack, who is 6-foot-2, cut his body fat to 15.5 percent after his first year at ETSU.  He now weighs 225 pounds with just 14.5-percent body fat.  Along with the weight loss, there have been massive improvements in strength. When he arrived at ETSU, Knack couldn’t squat 300 pounds or bench press more than 185. Now he does three sets of three reps at 395 for squats and 235 on the bench.

In his first season at ETSU, Knack went 9-4, 2.60 in 15 starts as a junior. In 97.0 innings he struck out 94(27 looking), and only walked 16.  He won his first eight decisions to rank atop the nation in wins at the halfway point in the season.   This earned him a special mention on the 2019 Collegiate Baseball Pitcher of the Year Watch List.   In his last start of year, in the Southern Conference tournament, against Wofford he pitched a career-high 130 pitches in 8.0 innings during a 2-1 loss with only one earned run allowed and eight strikeouts.  Despite having a good Junior season, Knack did not hear his name called in the 2019 draft.  Not getting drafted was a major disappointment for Knack.   Knack, however, did not sulk over his draft snub.  Instead, he took action.  He skipped the summer leagues and stayed in Johnson City, working exclusively on getting stronger and throwing harder.

“When I first got (to ETSU), my first bullpen, I was throwing 89, maybe touched 90 once that whole fall,” Knack said. “I was not a ‘velo’ guy.”  “But, as I improved my body, my fastball started to come. That spring (as a junior), I sat 90-92 but hit 94 by the end of the year.”  “This past summer, I tried to throw as hard as I could every single day. This past fall, I hit 95 for the first time.  “In the spring, in my first intra-squad game, I got to 96. In the second intra-squad game, it was 97. And, in the season opener, it was 98, and that was pretty cool.”   “There was no magic wand,” ETSU Head Coach Joe Pennucci said when asked about Knack’s improvement since arriving on campus. “It was the work he put in, and we noticed it over the course of two years. He bought into our strength and conditioning program and changed his body.”

Joe Pennucci, who had been Stony Brook’s associate head coach, was hired by East Tennessee State in July of 2017. One month later, he brought in pitching coach Micah Posey, who has had a dramatic affect on Knack.  Posey helped Knack develop a slider that has become lethal. 

“When I first got to ETSU, I didn’t have a slider,” Knack said. “I had my fastball, changeup and a curve. Posey taught me a slider. At the time, it was more like a sweeping curve than a legit slider.”  “This year, I tried four or five different grips, changing finger pressure until I finally found the one I now throw. It acts more like a cutter, and the ‘velo’ went from 81 to 88. It got better every week. It was huge for me.”  

According to Knack it was just one week before the season opener that he finally found his slider grip.  Once he found the grip, everything clicked.

“He didn’t think it was ever enough,” Pennucci said. “His ability to not be satisfied created what he became.” 

Perfect Game, who Ranked Knack 134th on their list of top prospects, had this to say about Knack:

“Knack is one of the more interesting case studies in players in this class, given his true late-bloomer status as a legitimate draft prospect. He had two very successful years as a pitcher at Walter State, a perennial powerhouse JUCO in Tennessee, and then pitched very well as a junior at ETSU in 2019, but did it all with outstanding pitchability than electric stuff. Fast forward to 2020, and Knack’s fastball velocity jumped from 88-92 mph to 93-96 mph, touching 97-98 mph at times with excellent command. His slider flashes plus now and he rounds out his arsenal with a curveball and changeup, both of which could project to average. He’s valued roughly in the 3rd-4th round by ability, but could be in play significantly further up the board considering his senior status and therefore potential as a money-saver. “

There’s no word yet on if Knack has signed, although his Twitter page lists him as a Los Angeles Dodger RHP.   I would suspect that he signs.   If not, he has one semester’s work left to finish his accounting degree and then he can take over for Jeff as he fades into retirement.  I suspect that he is going to sign, and I’m going to go out on a limb here and predict a very solid  career for young Mr. Knack.  His statistics last year profile him to be akin to Trevor Bauer and Lance Lynn.  I see a bit of Zack Greinke in him!!

At Jeff’s encouragement, I provide you the song of the day, Knack’s “My Sharona” I didn’t have the time to do a parody.   I have to plead ignorance with this Knack and the song. Until this week, I never heard it.   Perhaps, Bear, Badger or one you other fine writers can put together a parody. 

AC Editorial Note

The Knack were one hit wonders with “My Sharona”, released June 1979. It was a fun song that I never forgot. When I heard that Landon Knack was drafted by the Dodgers, it was natural for me to think of the Knack and their one hit. My guess is…Landon Knack has never heard the song either.

This article has 42 Comments

  1. I forgot to mention that I like Knack because of his pitchability and command. Hard throwing pitchers that throw strikes really appeal to me.

    Also, I read that Gasparino said that the Dodgers were prepared to take any of Muller, Knack and Beeter in the first round. Can you imagine the groans around Dodgerland, if Knack was selected 1st?

    1. I’m not touching Sharona 2d2. Sharona was what we used to call jail bait.

      I was thinking about what Mark said to end the previous post and it got me wondering how many players we’ve drafted in the top 5 rounds over the years didn’t sign with us. I know there were some, Funkhauser and Hochevar come to mind. I am curious out of the 160 drafted this year how many won’t come to terms. My gut tells me we will sign all of ours but I sure don’t know that. 160 sure isn’t very many.

      Knack. 2 shoulder injuries already? Nothing to worry about, right?

  2. Excellent article 2D2. This young man sounds like a winner and I hope he signs with us. Please though, advise him not to dive into the bases. Thought the nickname Nick Knack was very clever.

  3. Good stuff 2D2. You have a knack with words. I have no doubt he will sign .

    1. Stark usually has an excellent take on any subject he chooses to write about and this is no exception.
      Sounds like he was talking to Bear when he got this quote:
      “Here’s what I see,” said an official of one team. “I see people really upset at baseball, who say, `A pox on all their houses. In a time of great need, with great social unrest, all you cared about was fighting over money.”

      As Stark points out, once they take care of 2020 the financial ramifications will dramatically affect 2021 and after that they need to negotiate a brand new CBA. Baseball is in desperate trouble and the two sides are an exact mirror of today’s society. Nobody wants to compromise on anything.

      I’m old enough to remember Nixon’s speaking about the Silent Majority. I think that’s where we are today, both with society in general and in the baseball wars. The extreme positions have grabbed ahold of the steering wheel and those of us in the middle are just riding along as passengers, trying to figure out how to slow the car down. Until people are willing to let the other side have something as well, this could continue indefinitely.

      In order to survive, baseball may have to resort to the Japanese system of ownership with very large companies owning teams instead of individuals who can’t afford to lose money like they will for the next few seasons.
      Just imagine the Google Reds, Amazon Pirates, Microsoft Royals, etc. The amount of advertising benefit they would get from owning a team would offset years like this when they would have losses. I’m saying this tongue-in-cheek but ownership of the smaller revenue teams is likely to change in the near future.

      2. Personally, I would not say ” A pox on all their houses” Not my style…I am more of a ” May the fleas of a thousand camels infest your armpits” kind of guy. I do not think their wives and children are the ones causing all the problems, so therefore I am not damning them. A small glimmer today as it seems Clark and Manfred had a productive face to face. But if you were to ask me if I am angry at all of this, I am. Totally pissed at both sides. Neither give a rats petuti for the fans. They want their adulation, and money. But they care not that they are denying them the game they love. A majority of fans will come back to the game no matter what. And when some form of normalcy returns, the attendance in the city’s where teams are highly competitive will no doubt reach prior levels. But those fringe teams and the bottom dwellers are going to still have serious problems.

  5. Stark’s article raised some gloomy projections. I couldn’t deep dive into the article because, frankly, I’ve been “knackered” after a hard and long past 5 days at work. I thought the “and a pox on your houses” comment pretty much sums up the feeling of many.

    For those of you that might be interested, Ross Stripling is hosting Trevor Bauer on his Big Swing Podcast today. That should be an interesting interview. Both Ross and Bauer are very outspoken, no holds barred, type of people. I’m looking forward to hearing their view of the current state of baseball.

    Joe Posnanski’s article on the Athletic is also worth the read.

    1. Knackered? New word maybe? Too pooped to pop I am aware of, but have never heard knackered. Oh well, shows how educated I am. I just hope knackered is not some new form of virus…..seems to me a vaccine for that would be years away.

  6. Apparently there are 6 owners that don’t want a 2020 season so they won’t vote for any compromise.

        1. Most likely. Can you see the Dodgers not wanting at least some sort of season so they can try and convince Betts to stay and get some sort of return from that trade? It is always about the money and the benefits.

          1. If no season maybe we would get a higher draft position . Thats probably the only positive I can think of for not having a season.

  7. The players don’t have a realistic vision for the 21 season. It will not be a normal season with business as usual. There will be ramifications with the pandemic. This doesn’t seem like there is any resolution on the horizon. Baseball is in a bad and dark place with very little hope.

  8. @JonHeyman
    Breaking: MLB and players union are closing in on an agreement to play the 2020 season, via players. Deal expected to be for prorated pay and include expanded playoffs.

    1. Can confirm, and Rosenthal is saying basically the same thing. Season would start around the 19th of July. 60 games and expanded playoffs in 2020 and 2021. The union will also not file a grievance. Full prorated pay.

      1. I got that as well. It at least gives a glimmer of hope (maybe more than a glimmer). The discussions were face to face, so I cannot imagine that MLBPA would say no. I am not a fan of a 60 game season, but it will be baseball. I am also not a fan of expanded post season. It gives hope to a Detroit/Miami World Series.

        1. Players supposedly countering with a 65 game schedule and denying any agreement has been made. But this is at least some progress.

  9. Hey 2D2…we all know Demeter wore # 2 when he was in LA>…what was his uni # as a Brooklyn Dodger???

      1. He wore 27 with Brooklyn. Besides 2, he also wore 7 with the Dodgers (1961).

        1. Exactamundo…..nice job. 27 when he was in Brooklyn. 2 when called up to LA in 60, and 7 in 61.

  10. There will be baseball THIS year. You can count on it. Both sides should have issued a gag order. Quit bickering in public!

    I would tell the 6 or 8 owners who do not want to play to just not play.

    Explain it to your players and fans and oh, by the way, we are forcing you to sell your damn team! You have 120 days to arrange a sale or MLB will buy it at fair market valve.

    Call their bluff or play with 24 teams. I think that MLB should contract Oakland, Tampa, Miami, and Pittsburgh and move KC to Vegas. Maybe Tampa to Portland.

  11. Tomorrow is my son’s 21st Birthday. I am buying him a beer right after work at the watering hole across the street… when we go in, 35 of his friends will be waiting. This should be fun!

    Watering Hole across from your office? Hummm….

    I go there about twice month….

        1. Not sure where you are getting your information but what I’m reading is that in several States, including California and Texas, the numbers are going up. Indiana looks like it’s leveled off some, but I wouldn’t recommend large gatherings of any kind for anybody.

          I agree about contraction and have said as much. Some cities have made it clear they don’t much care to support Major League teams. If Oakland didn’t have to play in that toilet it might be better for them but they aren’t getting a new stadium any time soon. Start with eliminating both Florida teams. That might help everybody.

    2. Wish Steve a Happy Birthday for me! Turning 21 is a big deal at the time. Not so much later on.

      Your son is a fine young man. I expect big things from him in the water world!

  12. Congratulations on your son’s birthday, Mark! So there may be a season after all! Did the owners and players suddenly realize how much damage they were doing to their brand? Did Rob Manfred suddenly grow a spine? Funny how situations of crisis reveal a person’s character. David Price has character. He didn’t have to give 1,000 dollars per month to all of those minor league players. No one expected him to do that. He took it on himself. Contrast that to the MLB owners who would drastically reduce the number of minor league clubs, depriving many towns and small cities of a major part of their identities and eliminating many jobs… in the middle of a pandemic. If the owners caved here, I guarantee that it wasn’t due to civic mindedness. They just woke up to their self-interest before the damage was irrevocable. I’ll be glad if baseball is back, but this whole episode leaves a bad taste.

  13. Updated 2020 season tentative facts:

    65 games
    Opening day July 19
    Universal DH
    16 team playoffs

  14. A “Knacker” or knacker man, is a job title used for the centuries-old trade of persons responsible in a certain district for the removal and clearing of animal carcasses (dead, dying, injured) from private farms or public highways and rendering the collected carcasses into by-products such as fats, tallow (yellow grease), glue, bone meal, bone char, sal ammoniac, soap, bleach and animal feed.
    If you were living in Ireland today you would possibly be accused of being a”racist” as it is a pejorative term used to describe a “Traveler” and is based upon a general scumbag from Ireland. Males wear caps balanced at an upright angle on their head, at least 5 gold rings and sovereigns on each hand, large gold chains around their necks, matching tracksuits or shirt under Satellite Sports stripy jumper.

    1. Whereas “knackered” means: very tired or exhausted. Not sure there is any racial connotation in that term.

  15. If there were no baseball played in 2020, might teams draft in random order since there would be no won loss records to determine order? Maybe the teams that did not want to play the 2020 season would draft last.

    I predict a 40 – 25 record for the Dodgers.

  16. I forgot to say it yesterday, but what a great write-up on Landon. 2D2 has a Knack for nailing it!

    Is it time for Dodger baseball?

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