Blaine Knight 2019

[LookinUp]

I wasn't sure whether a new thread should be started or the old one edited to remove the reference to 2018. However, since I'm doing most of the talking about Knight on this board, I figured I might as well be the one to start a current Minors thread for him. 

His MiLB page and stats are here: http://www.milb.com/player/index.jsp?sid=t548&player_id=667421#/career/R/pitching/2019/ALL.
The OH's prospect write-up is here: http://www.orioleshangout.com/2018/11/06/blaine-knight-rhp-2018-9-prospect/

So far this year he's had two starts. He gave up 2 ER in 5.2 IP during his first start. Last night he gave up 0 runs in 5 IP with 6 Ks. 

For those not aware, this kid absolutely balled out in college. Here's a BA write-up from July last year and some quotes. https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/blaine-knight-could-advance-quickly/

Quote

 

"We never thought Blaine Knight would be there,” scouting director Gary Rajsich said. "He is someone we talked about on day one. He is a very dynamic starter and we think he could be a quick mover through the organization.

"He went undefeated in the SEC this year. He beat six guys this year who were drafted higher than he was, including (Casey) Mize and (Brady) Singer.”

Including the NCAA postseason, Knight went 14-0, 2.80 in 19 starts with 25 walks and 102 strikeouts over 112.1 innings. Knight won all four playoff decisions and posted a 2.88 ERA as the Razorbacks advanced to the College World Series finals. He went 2-0, 2.45 in two CWS starts.

Knight led Arkansas to a win against Oregon State in Game 1, when he surrendered only one run and seven hits in six innings.

The Orioles like Knight’s fastball, which has topped out at 97 mph and sits in the 90-94 range, and his plus slider. He also throws a quality curveball and mixes in a changeup.

Knight has one of the highest spin rates in college baseball on his breaking pitches.

 

 

[jrobb21613]

I was at the game last night and his curveball is nasty it was definitely his best pitch and he mixed his pitches well.

[LookinUp]

Gave up a few too many HRs in college. Was otherwise pretty dominant. I had heard he is working on a change up now. They apparently didn't throw many of them in college because they weren't needed (???).

[rudyrooster]

Being a Razorback fan, I can tell you this guy is an absolute bulldog on the mound.  Fingers crossed that his stuff plays at the pro level.

[bpilktree]

I saw him a few times in College on SEC network he seemed to rise up to competition he had some of his best games When facing the top pitchers like Mize and the Florida trio.  He outdueled Mize the first time I saw him watching Mize because of his hype and game away impressed by him even before he was an Oriole.

[orioles22]

Five innings today - one hit, one walk and nine strikeouts.

I hate seeing them take him out after 5 innings - only 78 pitches. Delmarva took a 1-0 lead with a run in the 7th after he left.

[cman.dc]

Blaine will be 23 soon, should be bumped to Hi-A after few weeks.

[orioles22]

I'd like to see Knight and Rodriguez both in Frederick by June 1

[WalkWithElias]

11 minutes ago, orioles22 said:

Five innings today - one hit, one walk and nine strikeouts.

I hate seeing them take him out after 5 innings - only 78 pitches. Delmarva took a 1-0 lead with a run in the 7th after he left.

It's April and they want him to pitch all summer. I'd guess they let him go deeper later this season. 

 

3 minutes ago, cman.dc said:

Blaine will be 23 soon, should be bumped to Hi-A after few weeks.

Hope so. He's going to dominate Delmarva. Or at least he should. 

[Frobby]

1 hour ago, orioles22 said:

I'd like to see Knight and Rodriguez both in Frederick by June 1

The O’s did that with Baumann and Lowther last year.    I think Knight, being a college guy, is the more likely of the two to be moved quickly.    There’s also Peralta to consider — he was demoted to Delmarva to start the season but is dominating there and will probably need to be moved up.   

[Frobby]

https://www.milb.com/milb/news/delmarva-shorebirds-blaine-knight-extends-scoreless-streak/c-306339492

[WalkWithElias]

1 hour ago, Frobby said:

The O’s did that with Baumann and Lowther last year.    I think Knight, being a college guy, is the more likely of the two to be moved quickly.    There’s also Peralta to consider — he was demoted to Delmarva to start the season but is dominating there and will probably need to be moved up.   

Agree that I'd like to see Knight and Peralta moved quickly if they dominate Delmarva, but unlike last year, there doesn't seem to be a lot of space. Baumann and Lowther didn't have much in the way of prospects blocking them from a rotation spot. The Frederick rotation includes Hall, Hanifee, Sedlock, Baumann and Bishop. There is hope that all five of those arms could be somewhere between useful and critical to the major league squad at some point. 

Baumann could probably get pushed to Bowie if he looks strong. The Baysox rotation has some dead weight to it. The rest should probably stay in Frederick for most of the season. 

[Frobby]

4 hours ago, cman.dc said:

Blaine will be 23 soon, should be bumped to Hi-A after few weeks.

I hadn’t realized he was so old.    Only a year younger than Akin and Sedlock, drafted two years ahead of him, and two months younger than Lowther, drafted a year ahead of him.  

[Luke-OH]

13 minutes ago, Frobby said:

I hadn’t realized he was so old.    Only a year younger than Akin and Sedlock, drafted two years ahead of him, and two months younger than Lowther, drafted a year ahead of him.  

Someone on twitter said something about how old Ofelky Peralta was for Low A , I told him that Knight was almost a year older. 

[Can_of_corn]

2 minutes ago, Luke-OH said:

Someone on twitter said something about how old Ofelky Peralta was for Low A , I told him that Knight was almost a year older. 

Age is one reason I've been hesitant to jump on the Blaine-wagon.  I like my prospects like Elvis liked his girls.