The Padres announced they’ve selected the contract of right-hander Reiss Knehr. He’ll get the start tonight against the Rockies in his major league debut.
Knehr wasn’t a high-profile amateur, falling to the 20th round in the 2018 draft coming out of Fordham University. He has significantly upped his stock during his brief time in pro ball, though, now projecting as one of the more promising pitching prospects in the San Diego organization. Entering the season, each of Eric Longenhagen of FanGraphs, Keith Law of the Athletic and Baseball America slotted Knehr among the top twenty prospects in a still-strong farm system. Those evaluators credit him with a low-mid 90s fastball and promising changeup and slider. There’s still some question whether Knehr’s command is sharp enough to allow him to function as a starting pitcher long-term, but all three outlets suggest he should be a valuable part of a pitching staff in some capacity.
The 24-year-old has spent the entire season with the Padres’ Double-A affiliate in San Antonio. He’s tossed 55 1/3 innings over eleven starts, working to a 3.90 ERA. Knehr’s 20.4% strikeout rate is down from the lofty 27.9% mark he managed in High-A in 2019, while his 9.8% walk percentage is right around average. Knehr has generally induced ground balls at a solid clip in the minors and has surrendered just four home runs this year.
@mlbhawk was first with the news of Knehr’s promotion.
That’s not a real name. That has to be something like when Sports Illustrated made up that anagram name of the guy with the 160+ MPH fastball several years back.
Best anagram I found is Her Sinkers. Maybe that person is gender fluid.
Shrinkseer – A good model builder.
Sid Finch
Thanx, was right on the tip of my brain.
good luck kid. I’ll be watching
Does anyone else find it intresting that Gore has yet to get called up?
No
His 18% K rate and 12% BB rate in AAA is not really demanding a call up.
Interesting?… sure. Surprising? … No. Service time manipulation is real for front office execs for prized prospects, as much as they try to hide it.
He’d be waterproof if he was on the Rangers.
@sam00991…
1. Preller doesn’t do service time manipulation. Ever.
2. Gore has already missed enough time this year to have his free agency pushed back so if that was the reason for him being in the minors he’d have already been called up.
No, he’s been struggling with command issues. He was sent back down to the Peres spring training facilities to work on his mechanics.
Gore’s value is dropping fast.
No it isn’t. He’s 22 and building up arm strength and working on stuff playing mostly in great hitter’s parks so his ERA will be inflated. Every single team would kill to have this kid in their system.
And the Chihuahuas’ defense is profoundly bad.
Struggling with command and that blister on his pitching hand is still not 100% healed. No reason for him to pitch through it.
Gore is also injured and not performing that well in the minors
Who in God’s name is Reiss Knehr
Padres’ 20th round draft pick in 2018 out of Fordham University. Ranked 12th in the Padres’ system per MLBPipeline as I type this comment.
The Padres work develop all their MiLB players, not just the high profile draft picks and trade chips. That’s the difference between a good system and a stagnant system like the Tigers run.
So far the Padres have not proven they can develop their own players
The intrigue over Gore might be heading towards the Matt Bush/Donovan Tate end of the spectrum. Hopefully not that far, but his mental approach has been referred to as needing improvement. Apologists say that “the lack of competition” in last year’s practice camp system took away his edge.
If that reference is accurate, then his ability to prepare for a major league career might be at risk. If he can only see what’s immediately in front of him, he may not be resilient enough for the rigors of MLB competition. Let alone, doing the preparatory work necessary to achieve physical and mental baselines for a major league career.
In other words, he may not have the drive to make it. 😀
You shut your mouth. Neither of them even made it to AAA with the Padres despite being around longer than Gore.
And you have no evidence of Gore having a bad mental approach. In fact, they were saying the exact opposite when he was drafted.