Dodger Prospect Notes: Knack dominant in achieving innings high, Kopp’s most efficient outing, Tulsa walks it off in extras again

May 24th, 2023 Scoreboard

• Triple-A Oklahoma City 5, Sacramento 6
• Double-A Tulsa 1, Northwest Arkansas 0
• High-A Great Lakes 7, Peoria 4
• Single-A Rancho Cucamonga 2, Lake Elsinore 8

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Just when it seemed like Landon Knack had run out of things to accomplish at the Double-A level, he pushed the envelope just a bit farther, as he set a new career high in innings pitched on Wednesday for Tulsa:

Landon Knack, have a day! The 2020 2nd round pick of the Dodgers lowered his ERA to 1.32 with 7.0 shutout innings, he allowed 4 hits, no walks, and struck out 6, get this man to OKC! 🔥🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/9O7vjaKYOF

— Josh Thomas (@jokeylocomotive) May 25, 2023

The former East Tennessee Buccaneer’s stats for the season are looking rather ridiculous at this point (ranks in the Texas League in parentheses):

• 1.32 ERA (2nd)
• 2.56 FIP (1st)
• 0.80 WHIP (1st)
• 6.43 K/BB (3rd)
• .177 opp avg (3rd)
• 15.3% swinging strike rate (5th)
• 14.2 pitches per inning pitched (2nd)

Having been stretched all the way out to 86 pitches on Wednesday (and with a fastball that was still sitting 94-95 at 80+ pitches), nothing should be keeping the 25-year-old righty at Tulsa; between fitness, consistency, the subsequent workload, and his overall dominance, Knack has shown that he is more than ready to step into Oklahoma City’s starting rotation, with LA right around the corner should yet another opening pop up.

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Ronan Kopp had a solid outing of his own on Wednesday, as he tossed 4.0 innings for Great Lakes for the second time this season:

Ronan Kopp had his most efficient outing of the season, as he needed just 48 pitches to toss 4.0 IP of one run ball, he walked one and struck out four ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/IUb60UWDkc

— Josh Thomas (@jokeylocomotive) May 25, 2023

The 20-year-old Baldwin Park, CA native lowered his ERA for the season to 2.57, but perhaps most importantly, he filled up the zone (69% strikes) and he issued just one free pass.

Walks have indeed been the 6’7 southpaw’s nemesis this season. Though Kopp got off to a good start in 2023, issuing just two in his first two outings (spanning 7.0 innings), his BB/9 climbed back up to 6.43. Reining in the command is all that is keeping the 2021 12th round pick from rocketing up the charts, and as Wednesday’s outing indicated, you can get outs pitching in the zone a bit when you’re bringing a 65 fastball and a 55 slider to the table.

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The Tulsa Drillers walked it off in extra innings on back to back days, this time the hero was Kody Hoese, whose 10th inning sacrifice fly to right brought home Diego Cartaya and put the game on ice:

WALK OFF WIN FOR THE 2ND NIGHT IN A ROW! pic.twitter.com/KPcj5I9fTg

— Tulsa Drillers (@TulsaDrillers) May 25, 2023

The win improved Tulsa’s record to 26-15, which helped them keep pace with the Arkansas Travelers, with whom they share first place in the Texas League North Division.

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Here’s Thursday’s start times for the minor-league clubs (all times Pacific), along with the Dodger affiliate’s starting pitcher:

• Oklahoma City at Sacramento – 6:45 PM, Robbie Erlin
• Tulsa vs Northwest Arkansas – 5:05 PM, Kyle Hurt
• Great Lakes at Peoria – 4:35 PM, Yon Castro
• Rancho Cucamonga vs Lake Elsinore – 6:30 PM, Peter Heubeck

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Enjoy your Thursday, folks.