FAYETTEVILLE (KFSM)–After not hearing his name called over the first two days, Arkansas sophomore Blaine Knight was selected 884th overall by the Texas Rangers in the 29th round of the MLB draft.
The right handed pitcher from Bryant stepped into the role as Friday starter for much of the season, after early injuries to Keaton McKinney and Isaiah Campbell. Knight boasted an 8-4 record and a 3.28 ERA over sixteen starts. He added 96 strikeouts to a pitching staff that broke the Arkansas single season mark with 619. Knight walked just 20 batters in 90.2 innings.
The sophomore came in to pitch the eighth inning of the season ending loss to Missouri State, his only relief outing of the year.
Razorback coach Dave Van Horn believes Knight (6’3″, 165) would benefit from another year of pitching in the SEC.
“I had two or three coaches in our league tell me that kid needs to come back. He’ll be the guy they all talk about next year. People know what he can do now. If he gets better bigger and stronger which he will, he moves way up. And when you move way up, [money] can go way up. We’re optimistic. It’s his decision. I think there’s a chance that he might comeback,” Van Horn said.
