Landon Knack
{{Short description|American baseball player (born 1997)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
|name = Landon Knack
|image = LandonKnack.jpg
|caption = Knack at the 2024 championship parade
|team = Los Angeles Dodgers
|number = 96
|position = Pitcher
|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1997|7|15}}
|birth_place = Johnson City, Tennessee, U.S.
|bats = Left
|throws = Right
|debutleague = MLB
|debutdate = April 17
|debutyear = 2024
|debutteam = Los Angeles Dodgers
|statleague = MLB
|statyear = June 5, 2025
|stat1label = Win–loss record
|stat1value = 6–7
|stat2label = Earned run average
|stat2value = 4.18
|stat3label = Strikeouts
|stat3value = 104
|teams =
- Los Angeles Dodgers ({{mlby|2024}}–present)
|awards =
- World Series champion ({{wsy|2024}})
}}
Landon Dakota Knack (born July 15, 1997) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2024.
Career
Knack attended Science Hill High School in Johnson City, Tennessee, and East Tennessee State University, where he played college baseball for the East Tennessee State Buccaneers.{{Cite web|url=https://www.timesnews.net/sports/scouting-restrictions-loosened-knack-hearing-from-mlb-teams/article_647b06bf-b0df-58d3-8de0-ac1e042e07d0.html|title=Scouting restrictions loosened, Knack hearing from MLB teams|first=Joe|last=Avento|website=timesnews.net|date=April 17, 2020 }}{{Cite web|url=https://www.johnsoncitypress.com/sports/knacks-historic-start-wont-be-finished/article_76884af1-6141-58b2-8882-29c2a8deb27a.html|title=Knack's historic start won't be finished|first=Joe|last=Avento|website=Johnson City Press|date=March 19, 2020 }} He was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the second round of the 2020 MLB draft.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/landon-knack-motivated-by-2020-draft|title=Life changed 'in a heartbeat' for Knack|website=MLB.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.timesnews.net/sports/dodgers-draft-pick-knack-can-keep-a-secret/article_9ae12ca0-ea69-5181-8f2b-76a935f74cd0.html|title=Dodgers draft pick Knack can keep a secret|first=Joe|last=Avento|website=timesnews.net|date=June 11, 2020 }} He did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.{{Cite web|title=2020 Minor League Baseball season cancelled|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/2020-minor-league-baseball-season-canceled|access-date=March 20, 2024|website=mlb.com|language=en}}
Knack made his professional debut in 2021 with the Great Lakes Loons and was promoted to the Tulsa Drillers during the season.{{Cite web|url=https://heraldcourier.com/sports/locals-in-the-pros-former-etsu-ace-landon-knack-off-to-hot-start-on-dodgers/article_ab932c54-e8e7-11eb-8095-9f5177429680.html|title=LOCALS IN THE PROS: Former ETSU ace Landon Knack off to hot start on Dodgers farm|first=Tim |last=Hayes |website=HeraldCourier.com|date=July 19, 2021 }} Between the two levels, he was 7–1 with a 3.18 ERA in 16 appearances (11 starts) and struck out 82 batters while only walking eight.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=knack-000lan|title=Landon Knack College & Minor League Stats|work=Baseball Reference|accessdate=September 21, 2021}} He was selected to play for the Glendale Desert Dogs of the Arizona Fall League after the season.{{cite web|url=https://www.truebluela.com/2021/10/6/22712902/bobby-miller-los-angeles-dodgers-arizona-fall-league-landon-knack|title=Bobby Miller highlights Dodgers prospects in Arizona Fall League|work=SB Nation|first=Blake|last=Harris|date=October 6, 2021|accessdate=October 6, 2021}} In 2022, he made 17 starts for Tulsa, with a 2–10 record and 5.01 ERA.
Knack returned to Tulsa to start the 2023 season, making 12 starts with a 2–0 record, 2.20 ERA and 61 strikeouts in {{fraction|57|1|3}} innings. On June 17, he was promoted to the Triple-A Oklahoma City Dodgers,{{cite web|url=https://www.truebluela.com/2023/6/17/23764914/landon-knack-promoted-triple-a-oklahoma-city-dodgers|title=Landon Knack promoted to Triple-A Oklahoma City|work=SB Nation|first=Eric|last=Stephen|date=June 17, 2023|accessdate=June 18, 2023}} where he made 10 starts, with a 3–1 record, 2.93 ERA and 38 strikeouts in 43 innings.
Knack was added to the Dodgers 40-man roster on November 14, 2023, in order to be protected from the Rule 5 draft{{cite web|url=https://www.truebluela.com/2023/11/14/23956259/dodgers-landon-knack-nick-frasso-hunter-feduccia-40-man-roster|title=Dodgers add Landon Knack, Nick Frasso & Hunter Feduccia to 40-man roster|work=SB Nation|first=Eric|last=Stephen|date=November 14, 2023|accessdate=November 14, 2023}} and he made the Dodgers' Opening Day roster for the 2024 season.{{cite web|url=https://www.truebluela.com/2024/3/19/24103882/dodgers-opening-day-roster-brusdar-graterol-blake-treinen-injured-list|title=Dodgers finalize opening day roster|first=Eric|last=Stephen|date=March 19, 2024|accessdate=March 19, 2024|work=SB Nation}} However, he did not pitch in either of the Dodgers two games in Seoul, South Korea as part of the MLB World Tour and was optioned back to Oklahoma City for the start of the minor league season.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/player/landon-knack-689017|title=Landon Knack Stats, Age, Position, Height, Weight, Fantasy & News|website=MLB.com}} Knack drew the start for Oklahoma City on opening day and struck out six in five scoreless innings.{{cite web|url=https://www.truebluela.com/2024/3/30/24115822/dodgers-minors-oklahoma-city-baseball-club-landon-knack|title=Dodgers minors: Opening Day, Landon Knack|work=SB Nation|first=Craig|last=Minami|date=March 30, 2024|accessdate=March 30, 2024}} He was promoted to the majors again and made his debut as the starting pitcher against the Washington Nationals on April 17,{{cite web|url=https://www.truebluela.com/2024/4/17/24133148/dodgers-landon-knack-major-league-debut-eduardo-salazar|title=Dodgers call up Landon Knack for his major league debut|work=SB Nation|first=Eric|last=Stephen|date=April 17, 2024|accessdate=April 17, 2024}} allowing two runs on four hits with one walk and four strikeouts. His first MLB strikeout was of Nick Senzel.{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/playbyplay/_/gameId/401568752|title=Nationals vs Dodgers (April 17, 2024) Play-by-Play|work=ESPN|accessdate=April 17, 2024}} He picked up his first major league win on April 24, also against the Nationals.{{cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/sports/baseball/landon-knack-gets-1st-big-league-win-dodgers-crush-nationals-2024-04-25/|title=Landon Knack gets 1st big-league win as Dodgers crush Nationals|work=Reuters|date=April 24, 2024|accessdate=April 25, 2024}} Overall, Knack was 3–5 with a 3.65 ERA in 15 games (12 starts) with 69 strikeouts in the majors{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/k/knackla01.shtml|title=Landon Knack Stats|work=Baseball Reference|accessdate=September 30, 2024}} and 4–3 with a 3.71 ERA in 14 games (12 starts) in the minors.
Knack made the postseason roster for the Dodgers{{cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/dodgers-2024-nl-division-series-roster|title=Dodgers decide to go with youth over vets on NLDS roster|work=mlb.com|first=Juan|last=Toribio|date=October 5, 2024|accessdate=October 31, 2024}} and pitched one scoreless inning in the National League Division Series (NLDS). However, he struggled in his next appearance, in Game 2 of the National League Championship Series (NLCS), allowing five runs on five hits and three walks in only two innings.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/LAN/LAN202410140.shtml|title=2024 National League Championship Series (NLCS) Game 2, Mets at Dodgers, October 14|work=Baseball Reference|accessdate=October 31, 2024}} In the 2024 World Series, Knack pitched four innings in Game 4, allowing one run on two hits and one walk, while striking out two. The Dodgers won the series in five games over the New York Yankees.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/postseason/2024_WS.shtml|title=2024 World Series Los Angeles Dodgers over New York Yankees (4-1)|work=Baseball Reference|accessdate=October 31, 2024}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Baseballstats|mlb=689017|espn=4417826|br=k/knackla01|fangraphs=27487|brm=knack-000lan|retro=K/Pknacl001}}
{{2020 College Baseball Consensus All-Americans}}
{{2024 Los Angeles Dodgers}}
{{Los Angeles Dodgers roster navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Knack, Landon}}
Category:Baseball players from Tennessee
Category:East Tennessee State Buccaneers baseball players
Category:Glendale Desert Dogs players
Category:Great Lakes Loons players
Category:Los Angeles Dodgers players
Category:Major League Baseball pitchers
Category:Oklahoma City Baseball Club players
Category:Oklahoma City Comets players
Category:Oklahoma City Dodgers players