June 12th, 2020 at 8:00 am 
by 0799291000348 Five rounds, six selections and the Dodgers 2020 MLB First-Year Player Draft is in the books.
Even though the team picked next to last in each round, the draft class is another talented group that includes four quality college pitchers, a talented switch-hitting college catcher, and an athletic high school centerfielder.
Considering the Dodgers scouting department is one of the best in the business, draft experts considered the 2020 draft to be exceptionally deep in talented players and the Dodgers reputation as the preeminent organization for developing young talent, the expectations for this draft were high – and the team may have once again exceeded those expectations.
After selecting starting pitcher Bobby Miller with their first pick on Wednesday night, the Dodgers followed up by adding right-handed college power pitchers Landon Knack and Clayton Beeter with their next two selections on Thursday evening.
In the third round, the team added Carson Taylor to their already incredible catching depth and then selected Huntington Beach High School athletic centerfielder Jake Vogel in the fifth round.
With their final selection, the Dodgers added yet another college starting pitcher – right-hander Gavin Stone, who finished the abbreviated 2020 season by pitching a no-hitter for the University of Central Arkansas Bears, with 13-strike outs.
(Photo courtesy of UCA Athletics)
Today we will review the Baseball America background and scouting reports for Landon Knack and Clayton Beeter. Tomorrow, the backgrounds of Carson Taylor, Jake Vogel, and Gavin Stone.
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Landon Dakota Knack
- Born: Jul 15, 1997, in Johnson City, TN
- Four-Year College: East Tennessee State
- High School: Science Hill HS, Johnson City, Tenn.
- Junior College: Walters State (Tenn.) JC
- Ht.: 6’2″ / Wt.: 220 lbs
- Bats: L / Throws: R
Knack was considered the top-ranked senior in the class. He pitched two years at Walters State (TN) Junior College, where he showed solid strike-throwing ability. Moving to East Tennessee State University, Knack posted a 2.60 ERA over 15 starts and 97 innings in 2019.
In 2020, Knack’s fastball velocity increased from the low 90s to touching 97-98 mph, and 92-95 deep into his starts. His off-speed pitches are more fringy at this point, with all of his secondaries flashing average at times. His curveball is his best secondary pitch at the moment.
There’s some effort in Knack’s delivery and it’s not the loosest or most fluid one you’ll see, but he repeats it well and has a lengthy track record of throwing strikes. His 2020 numbers in 25 innings and four starts are ridiculous, as he racked up 51 strikeouts (the most of any Division I arm) to just one walk.
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Clayton Howard Beeter
- Born: Oct 9, 1998, in Fort Worth, TX
- Four-Year College: Texas Tech
- High School: Birdville HS, North Richland Hills, Texas
- Ht.: 6’1″ / Wt.: 205 lbs
- Bats: R / Throws: R
Beeter was a freshman All-American as a redshirt freshman in 2019, coming off a season in which he saved eight games in 21 appearances with a 3.48 ERA. He transitioned into a Friday night role for Texas Tech this Spring and performed well over four starts.
In 21 innings Beeter posted a 2.14 ERA with 33 strikeouts (14.1 per nine) and four walks (1.7 per nine). As he’s gotten further from the Tommy John surgery he had in high school, his stuff has gotten better and he’s throwing more strikes.
Beeter has a powerful pitch mix with a fastball that has reached 97 mph, with a hammer curveball with top-to-bottom shape that has plus potential. The pitch analytics on both his fastball and curveball are reportedly impressive, and he has a solid arm action with a higher slot. Baseball America considered him to be a second-round pick, but some considered him as a first-round talent; the result of the Dodgers making an excellent choice with the 66th pick they received from the trade that sent Dodgers right-hander Kenta Maeda to the Minnesota Twins this past February.
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Under the tutelage of the Dodgers pitching coaches, and the Driveline pitching program, both Knack and Beeter could progress quickly through the minor league system – when minor league baseball returns, that is.
To be continued.
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Although I am among the MANY who were adamantly opposed to having only five rounds of the single most important Draft in professional sports this year, I believe that Andrew Friedman, Billy Gasparino, and, most importantly, scout Marty Lamb knocked this one WAY out of the park.
Can’t wait to see these kids when they get to Rancho Cucamonga!
I agree. One bit of interesting (at least to me) information. The Dodgers have not released dozens of minor leaguers like the vast majority of major league teams. Take a look at Baseball America’s “minor league transactions” page for March – April, and April – May to see how many minor leaguers have been cut-loose by each team. The Dodgers only a few.