Dusten Knight

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name = Dusten Knight

|image = Dusten Knight (cropped).png

|caption = Knight with Leones del Escogido in 2021

|width =

|team = Free agent

|number =

|position = Pitcher

|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1990|9|2}}

|birth_place = Tahlequah, Oklahoma, U.S.

|bats = Right

|throws = Right

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate = August 4

|debutyear = 2021

|debutteam = Baltimore Orioles

|statyear = 2022 season

|statleague = MLB

|stat1label = Win–loss record

|stat1value = 0–1

|stat2label = Earned run average

|stat2value = 7.32

|stat3label = Strikeouts

|stat3value = 20

|teams =

Baltimore Orioles ({{mlby|2021}})
Tampa Bay Rays ({{mlby|2022}})

}}

Dusten Devoil Knight (born September 2, 1990) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Baltimore Orioles and Tampa Bay Rays. He was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the 28th round of the 2013 MLB draft.

Amateur career

Knight attended Tahlequah High School in Tahlequah, Oklahoma.{{Cite web|last=Johnson|first=Ben|title=Knight's tale|url=https://www.tahlequahdailypress.com/sports/college_sports/knight-s-tale/article_3e2580bc-5d02-52e5-85e1-80974df8d6cc.html|url-status=live|access-date=2021-08-16|website=Tahlequah Daily Press|date=14 June 2013 |language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210816003249/https://www.tahlequahdailypress.com/sports/college_sports/knight-s-tale/article_3e2580bc-5d02-52e5-85e1-80974df8d6cc.html |archive-date=2021-08-16 }} Undrafted out of high school, he attended Connors State College for two years,{{Cite web|last=SHORT|first=JEREMY|title=Fisher signs with Connors State|url=https://www.tahlequahdailypress.com/sports/fisher-signs-with-connors-state/article_954cd4ca-f952-5651-b94e-9ae68df79300.html|access-date=2021-08-16|website=Tahlequah Daily Press|date=27 January 2009 |language=en}} before transferring to University of Texas–Pan American in Edinburg, Texas for two years.{{Cite web|last=Johnson|first=Ben|title=Former Tahlequah Tiger happy to be drafted|url=https://www.muskogeephoenix.com/sports/former-tahlequah-tiger-happy-to-be-drafted/article_0af81e7d-21c6-5832-a664-3e401ab2734e.html|url-status=live|access-date=2021-08-16|website=Muskogee Phoenix|date=14 June 2013 |language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210816003248/https://www.muskogeephoenix.com/sports/former-tahlequah-tiger-happy-to-be-drafted/article_0af81e7d-21c6-5832-a664-3e401ab2734e.html |archive-date=2021-08-16 }}

Professional career

=San Francisco Giants=

Knight was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the 28th round of the 2013 MLB draft.{{Cite web|title=San Francisco Giants Draft Dusten Knight|url=https://goutrgv.com/news/2013/6/8/bb_0608130312.aspx|access-date=2021-08-16|website=UTRGV Athletics|date=8 June 2013 |language=en}} Knight made his professional debut with the rookie-level Arizona League Giants, and capped his debut year with a 1.13 ERA in 18 appearances. In 2014, Knight played for the Low-A Salem-Keizer Volcanoes, pitching to a 3.65 ERA with 44 strikeouts in 24 games. He spent the following season with the Single-A Augusta GreenJackets, logging a 2.69 ERA in 38 games with the team. In 2016, Knight played for the High-A San Jose Giants, but wasn't as effective as his previous years, posting a 5.02 ERA in 43 games. For the 2017 season, Knight split the year between San Jose and the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats, accumulating a 2.93 ERA with 83 strikeouts in 76.2 innings pitched across 39 appearances.{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=knight003dus|title = Dusten Knight College, Minor, Winter, Mexican & Independent Leagues Statistics & History}} In 2018, Knight played for Sacramento, the Double-A Richmond Flying Squirrels, and the AZL Giants, recording a 1.71 ERA in 29 games between the three affiliates.{{Cite web|last=Epps|first=Wayne|title=Flying Squirrels' Dusten Knight flipping through standout year|url=https://richmond.com/sports/flying-squirrels/flying-squirrels-dusten-knight-flipping-through-standout-year/article_57f07045-548f-508a-9922-d9dcadeac3d1.html|url-status=live|access-date=2021-08-16|website=Richmond Times-Dispatch|date=11 August 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210816003248/https://richmond.com/sports/flying-squirrels/flying-squirrels-dusten-knight-flipping-through-standout-year/article_57f07045-548f-508a-9922-d9dcadeac3d1.html |archive-date=2021-08-16 }}

=Minnesota Twins=

On December 13, 2018, Knight was selected by the Minnesota Twins in the minor league phase of the 2018 Rule 5 draft.{{Cite web|date=2018-12-13|title=Twins conclude Winter Meetings by picking up pitcher Dusten Knight in Rule 5 draft|url=https://www.twincities.com/2018/12/13/twins-conclude-winter-meetings-by-picking-up-pitcher-dusten-knight-in-rule-5-draft/|access-date=2021-08-16|website=Twin Cities|language=en-US}} Knight opened the 2019 season with the Double-A Pensacola Blue Wahoos in the Twins organization, going 1.59 ERA over 7 games before being released on May 3, 2019.{{Cite web|title=Knight Makes Major League Debut|url=https://goutrgv.com/news/2021/8/5/baseball-knight-makes-major-league-debut.aspx|access-date=2021-08-16|website=UTRGV Athletics|date=5 August 2021 |language=en}}

=Diablos Rojos del México=

On May 7, 2019, Knight signed with the Diablos Rojos del México of the Mexican League, going 2–4 with a 5.55 ERA over 23 games with them. He was released on July 15.

=Southern Maryland Blue Crabs=

On July 24, 2019, Knight signed with the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. He finished the season going 3–6 with a 3.78 ERA and 92 strikeouts over 78.2 innings pitched. Knight did not play in 2020 with the cancellation of the 2020 minor league season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.{{Cite web|url=https://ballparkdigest.com/2020/06/19/atlantic-league-scraps-full-2020-season-teams-free-to-set-own-schedules/|title = Atlantic League scraps full 2020 season; teams free to set own schedules | Ballpark Digest|date = 19 June 2020}} He became a free agent after the year.

=Baltimore Orioles=

On February 2, 2021, Knight signed a minor league contract with the Baltimore Orioles.{{Cite web|last=Elizondo|first=John|date=2021-02-13|title=Pitcher finds second shot at Major League dream|url=https://news4sanantonio.com/sports/content/pitcher-finds-second-shot-at-major-league-dream|access-date=2021-08-16|website=WOAI}} He opened the season with the Triple-A Norfolk Tides,{{Cite web|date=2021-08-06|title=Knight Makes Major League Debut|url=https://texasborderbusiness.com/knight-makes-major-league-debut/|access-date=2021-08-16|website=Texas Border Business|language=en-US}} pitching to a 3.05 ERA in 35 appearances.

On August 4, 2021, Knight was selected to the 40-man roster and promoted to the major leagues for the first time.{{cite web|url=https://www.masnsports.com/school-of-roch/2021/08/knight-and-diplan-poised-to-make-major-league-debuts.html|first=Roch|last=Kubatko|title=Knight and Diplán poised to make major league debuts|website=MASNSports.com}} Knight struggled with Baltimore, making 7 appearances with a 9.35 ERA and 11 strikeouts. On September 19, the Orioles designated Knight for assignment.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2021/09/orioles-designate-dusten-knight-select-thomas-eshelman.html|title = Orioles Designate Dusten Knight, Select Thomas Eshelman| date=19 September 2021 }} He was outrighted to Norfolk on September 21. On November 7, 2021, Knight elected free agency.{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/2021-22-minor-league-free-agents-for-all-30-mlb-teams/|title = 2021-22 Minor League Free Agents for All 30 MLB Teams| date=9 November 2021 }}

=Tampa Bay Rays=

On February 10, 2022, Knight signed a minor league contract with the Tampa Bay Rays.{{cite web|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2022/02/rays-sign-dusten-knight.html|first=Steve|last=Adams|title=Rays, Dusten Knight Agree To Minor League Deal|website=mlbtraderumors.com|date=10 February 2022 }} On April 13, the Rays selected Knight's contract to the active roster.{{Cite web |last=RotoWire |first=Staff |date=April 13, 2022 |title=Rays' Dusten Knight: Contract selected by Rays |url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/rays-dusten-knight-contract-selected-by-rays/ |access-date=2022-04-13 |website=CBSSports.com |language=}} He was designated for assignment the next day following the promotion of Phoenix Sanders. On April 17, Knight was sent outright to the Triple-A Durham Bulls.{{Cite web|title=Rays' Dusten Knight: OKs outright assignment|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/rays-dusten-knight-oks-outright-assignment/amp/|access-date=2023-01-15|website=cbssports.com|language=en}} On May 22, Knight was selected back to the active roster.{{Cite web|title=Rays' Dusten Knight: Back with big club|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/rays-dusten-knight-back-with-big-club/amp/|access-date=2023-02-08|website=cbssports.com|language=en}}

He was designated for assignment again on July 17 after Pete Fairbanks was activated from the injured list. He was again sent outright to Triple-A on July 20. On September 22, Knight was yet again selected to the major league roster.{{Cite web|title=Rays' Dusten Knight: Rejoins big-league bullpen |url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/rays-dusten-knight-rejoins-big-league-bullpen/|access-date=June 21, 2023|website=cbssports.com|date=21 September 2022 |language=en}} The following day, Knight was designated for assignment by the Rays for the third time after Calvin Faucher and Cristofer Ogando were recalled from Durham. He cleared waivers and was sent outright to Triple–A on September 25.{{Cite web|title=Rays' Dusten Knight: Sent to Triple-A|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/rays-dusten-knight-sent-to-triple-a/|access-date=June 21, 2023|website=cbssports.com|date=25 September 2022 |language=en}} Knight elected free agency on October 9.{{Cite web|title=Dusten Knight: Heads to open market|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/dusten-knight-heads-to-open-market/|access-date=June 28, 2023|website=cbssports.com|date=12 October 2022 |language=en}}

=Cleveland Guardians=

On February 8, 2023, Knight signed a minor league contract with the Cleveland Guardians.{{Cite web|title=Guardians' Dusten Knight: Receives NRI deal from Cleveland|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/guardians-dusten-knight-receives-nri-deal-from-cleveland/amp/|access-date=2023-02-08|website=cbssports.com|language=en}} Knight was released by the organization on March 25.{{cite web | url=https://www.milb.com/transactions/2023-03-25 | title=Transactions }}