Meet Jake Knapp: The 270-pound workhorse Cubs hope is their next big thing |
Dustin Riese
· · 3 hours ago
It's incredible how one pick in the MLB Draft can begin what you would like to call a trickle-down effect. Not only was the seventh-round selection of Pierce Coppola a string of 10 pitchers taken in 11 rounds, but it was also the first of several intimidating pitchers as the Cubs went after size and potential.
Look no further than their eighth-round selection in Jake Knapp, as the University of North Carolina right-hander is no stranger to intimidating hitters on the mound. Teammate to second-round pick Kane Kepley, Knapp is a massive figure on the mound, standing at 6-5 and checking in at 270 pounds. You read that right, the Cubs drafted a pitcher who looks more like a linebacker, as he is hoping to bring big things to this organization. There was a time when the Cubs not only failed to draft pitchers consistently, but once they did draft arms, they weren't able to develop them the way most organizations could. While that is still the case in some aspects, the days of not taking pitchers are long gone, and given what you are starting to see from Cade Horton and some of these younger guys, it does appear that the pitching development is on the upswing. Knapp is one of the more interesting prospects in this entire class, as he is one of the oldest, if not the oldest, prospect at 25. That alone has to have some fans worried, as he may be approaching 30 before his impact is felt. Still, he is coming off a season where he earned the ACC pitcher of the Year honors, and if he can do that in a conference that tough, there is plenty of reason for hope with this selection. After redshirting his freshman year at UNC Wilmington, Knapp elected to attend a community college after the COVID-19 pandemic and enrolled at Walters State (Tenn). He went on to become one of the best in the game, as Knapp tied for the national junior college lead with 14 wins as a sophomore. From there, he transferred to North Carolina, where he experienced runs of success, but also runs of struggles, as you never know what to expect from the big right-hander. Some of the struggles were adjusting to Division I hitting, but the most significant part of his struggles came from injuries, as he missed the entire 2024 season due to Tommy John Surgery. Knapp not only returned to the mound this season, but did so in dominating fashion as he finished 2025 with a 14-0 mark on the mound to lead NCAA Division I in victories and tie a school record. That alone is an impressive feat, considering the difficulty of the ACC. However, his success extends beyond wins and losses, as Knapp ranked third in D-I in WHIP (0.83) and fourth in ERA (2.02). Had it not been for the injuries and his overall age, there is no question that Knapp would have gone much higher, but without knowing what you will get in a few years, he did fall down the boards a bit. The Cubs sure aren't going to complain about that, as this is one of those guys who could be viewed as a diamond in the rough. One of the primary reasons for Knapp's success on the mound is his ability to alter the appearance of his pitches from one pitch to the next. Take his fastball, for example, as Knapp will sit around 91 MPH at times, but can also push it up to 97 MPH depending on the pitch's shape. What makes his fastball stand out is a nifty vertical break that makes it look like a rise ball at times when he elevates the pitch or a power sinker when he works down in the zone. To go with that fastball comes his 84 mph changeup and an 84 mph slider, as Knapp has three pitches to work with. Knapp is the definition of a workhorse on the mound, which is all you can ask for from a starter, while also having the reputation of being a strike thrower, especially with his heater. Of all the pitchers the Cubs selected, this guy could have the highest upside and may be the one pitcher who makes the biggest jump the quickest. Grade B+: It was very tempting to give the Cubs an A for this pick, as all the underlying numbers would support that. The main reason the grade takes a slight dip is his overall age, as most prospects approaching 26 years of age should be in AAA or, at the very worst, knocking on the AAA door. That won't be the case for Knapp, as he will need at least two years to figure out Professional hitting, and by that point, he will be approaching 28 years old. Regardless, the upside factor alone is too high to pass up, and the Cubs appear to have another big steal with this arm.
