Landon Knack is on the World Series roster for the Los Angeles Dodgers and the 27-year-old pitcher could conclude his rookie season in the big leagues with a championship ring.
The key word in that sentence is earn as the former Science Hill High School and East Tennessee State University star has performed well for the club since making his MLB debut in April and has stepped in and stepped up admirably for an injury-plagued pitching staff.
There’s also the fact his path to the game’s top level has not been easy and it included two serious shoulder injuries and saw him go undrafted not once, but twice in college after stellar seasons.
He eventually got his shot as he was taken by the Dodgers in the second round of the 2020 MLB Amateur Draft, worked his way up the minor league ladder, shuffled between Triple-A and the big leagues most of the summer of 2024 and had way more successful outings than subpar ones.
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The right-hander was 3-5 with one save and a 3.65 ERA in 15 games (12 starts) for the Dodgers in the regular season and had a 15.00 ERA in the postseason with a scoreless outing against the San Diego Padres in the National League Division Series and another appearance that did not go so well against the New York Mets in the National League Championship Series.
Yet, to know how Landon Knack got to this point you have to dig well beyond the numbers.
The guy pitching in the shadow of Hollywood with superstar teammates such as Shohei Ohtani, Clayton Kershaw, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman has produced quite a remarkable story of his own.
“I will say Landon still is an example of perseverance and consistency,” said Micah Posey, his pitching coach at ETSU.
It began on a dark and stormy night, literally.
He was born at home on July 15, 1997, in Bartlett, Tennessee, and was delivered by midwives amid a thunderstorm that knocked out the electricity for a time.
His family moved to Johnson City, Tennessee, nine months later.
Knack’s first baseball experience came at age 5 at the Boys and Girls Club of Johnson City and he soon achieved stardom.
By the time Knack was 13 he was among the best players on the field in the Babe Ruth League state tournament.
In his first varsity outing he pitched the Science Hill Hilltoppers to a 1-0 win over Shelbyville.
Yet, he earned most of his attention by hitting pitches instead of throwing them.
As a senior, Knack homered off Farragut’s Patrick Raby – who later starred at Vanderbilt University – in a 2015 TSSAA sub-state game.
There were difficulties.
In the final summer-league game before his senior season he tore the labrum in his right shoulder while diving back to first base.
“So, his senior year we moved him over to first base to save his bullets and we just pitched him once a week and followed the protocols,” Science Hill coach Ryan Edwards said. “He was low-80s his senior year on a good day.”
He ended up getting a chance to play at Walters State Community College in Morristown, Tennessee, but he wasn’t the prized pitching prospect of his recruiting class. In fact, he wasn’t projected as a pitcher at all when he arrived on campus.
“Funny thing is, my first impression of Landon was, ‘Man, I really think this guy has a chance to hit for power for us.’ I recruited Landon as a left-handed hitting third baseman,” longtime WSCC coach David Shelton said. “And the biggest question when we took him was could he stay at third base or would we move him to first base.”
After redshirting his first year at Walters State and packing on some muscle via the weight room, Knack returned to the mound.
“It wasn’t until during his redshirt freshman year that I noticed his arm strength picking up on his throws from third and asked if he would have an interest in trying to pitch again,” Shelton said. “He said he would love to try it again and who knew what that would lead to. From the moment he set foot on the mound, he probably had the top command on our team.”
Yet, that season was cut short when he had a slight tear of the labrum in his left shoulder while playing third base and lunging for a grounder.
Talk about bad luck.
How did he respond to that setback the following year?
With a 13-0 record and 3.01 ERA in earning All-American honors.
That isn’t all.
“Fortunately, my first impression of him was correct also,” Shelton said with a smile. “He hit .343 with 11 home runs in 99 at-bats.”
He was not drafted despite those numbers and returned to Johnson City to play for the East Tennessee State University Buccaneers. He was passed over once again in the draft again after winning nine games and pitching to the tune of a 2.60 ERA in 2019.
“It was hard on him,” Posey said. “I remember we talked about it and he was asking ‘What do I need to do to get drafted?’ My advice was you have to be so good you can’t be denied. His biggest holdback was his velocity. Junior year he was 88-92. That summer he stayed in Johnson City and worked with sports science to get stronger, he cleaned up his diet and he started throwing with more intent and chasing velo. His senior year his fastball was up to 98.”
Landon Knack during his days pitching at East Tennessee State University.
He dominated during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season and the Dodgers were so impressed with him they chose him with the 60th overall pick in the draft and gave him a $715,000 signing bonus, unheard of for a fifth-year senior.
While that velocity increase got him noticed, there is another part of his game that perhaps impresses the most – Knack has a knack for throwing strikes.
His strikeout-to-walk rate in two seasons at Walters State: 121:14.
ETSU: 145:17.
The minor leagues with stops in Midland, Michigan, Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Oklahoma City: 340:96.
His rookie year in the majors (including the postseason): 72:21.
“First of all, his ability to throw strikes has always been unbelievable,” Edwards said. “He’s always been a strike-throwing machine.”
Knack also appears unflappable on the bump.
“He’s always just had a very calm demeanor on the mound,” Edwards said. “He just stays calm, and he throws strikes. He’s always had a good breaking ball, good command of his fastball, good change-up. He’s a competitor.”
That poker face does mask a guy with a competitive fire that burns bright.
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Landon Knack (96) throws in a game against the Colorado Rockies on Sept. 29.
“His junior season he pitched in our conference tournament game and went eight innings and refused to come out of the game,” Posey said. “His pitch count was high and he could care less. That day in my mind is when I realized he was a special competitor.”
Here soon he could be a World Series champ.
“So, to think back to where Landon started at, to now see him with the Dodgers, it truly is a testament to his resilience and hard work,” Shelton said. “He is a special human being, and I am proud I had the opportunity to coach him for a little while.”
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