The Brewers revealed tough news for fans in Milwaukee today, as Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel revealed today that right-handed pitching prospect Josh Knoth has undergone Tommy John surgery and will miss the entire 2025 season.
Knoth, 19, was selected in the first round (#33 overall) by the Brewers in the 2023 draft out of high school and made his pro debut with the club’s Single-A affiliate last year. Despite a somewhat pedestrian 4.48 ERA, Knoth struck out an impressive 26.7% of opponents in his age-18 season but was held back by an 11.1% walk rate. Knoth’s solid strikeout rate and youth were enough to make him the #16 ranked prospect in the Brewers system according to Baseball America. The right-hander has a solid fastball that tops out at 96 mph and two plus secondaries in the form of a curveball and a slider, though BA writes that his changeup is somewhat lackluster and his control comes and goes.
The righty missed time late last year due to elbow soreness, making only 21 starts and pitching just 84 1/3 innings, so the surgery isn’t necessarily a surprise. Even so, it’s a disappointing development for the Brewers given Knoth’s mid-rotation potential. It would’ve been something of a shock to see the youngster make his big league debut with the club this year, but even reaching the Double-A level by the end of the 2025 season would’ve put him on the map for a possible debut with the Brewers in 2026.
That sort of timeline for Knoth reaching the majors appears to be all but impossible now, as rehab will essentially push Knoth’s develop timeline back an entire year. Fortunately, however, Knoth is young even by the standard of a recently-drafted high school prospect given that he was just 17 years old on draft day and won’t turn 20 until August. If Knoth manages to return from Tommy John surgery unimpeded in 2026 and move aggressively up the minor league ladder, he should still have the chance to make it to the majors in his early twenties.
Even with Knoth sidelined for 2025, the Brewers’ pitching development looks strong. Robert Gasser flashed exciting stuff in his debut for the club last year, and while he’s currently on the 60-day IL rehabbing from Tommy John surgery the southpaw figures to return and impact the big league club at some point later this year. Perhaps more excitingly, right-hander Jacob Misiorowski is a consensus top-100 prospect who reached Triple-A last year and appears likely to make his big league debut with the Brewers at some point in 2025.
Perfect timing.
Josh Knoth, is awesome I got to meet at a mudcats game he is so much fun. Prayers for him it takes a toll mentally on players after a surgery.
1st rd pick, solid first pro season
The TJ epidemic continues
He’s 19, he’ll be back stronger
He has already made more money before the age of 20 than several billion people alive today will make in their lifetime
Disgusting in my opinion although many Americans would disagree with me
American loves being entertained by competition. End of story.
I am not sure of the connection you are trying to make
What does that have to do with paying a high school graduate millions of dollars for having done nothing
Knock knock. Who’s there? Knoth
When Knoth strikes out a batter on a filty change what does he say? KNOTH IN MY BACKYARD!
Knoth today!
We’ll take that! Points!
Instead of a strikeout knotch, it’s a strikeout out Knoth?
There is a school of thought that runs thru FO’s that you should never ever ever EVER pick high school pitchers in the First Round. Their fail rate is sky-high, according to this drafting philosophy.
I remember seeing a Bill James article on this many years ago. He added high school catchers, too.
Glavine, Smoltz, Maddux, Hamels, Wells, Kershaw, Greinke, Gooden, Cone, C.C., Halladay, Eckersley, etc. All were drafted out of HS.
I agree it’s risky to draft pitchers or even players in general out of HS. But with the high risk is high reward. To me it just shows teams should be investing heavily in their scouting depts.
These days I’d be nervous of every pitcher drafted and the true strain that’s been put on their arms.