REPORT: Josh Knoth Undergoes Tommy John Surgery, Out for 2025 Season

Josh Knoth will miss the entire 2025 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery, Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reported on Saturday.

Knoth, a 19-year-old right-handed pitcher, was a cold-weather prep arm and pop-up prospect in the 2023 MLB Draft, wherein the Brewers selected him 33rd overall in Compensation Round A, signing him to a $2-million, underslot bonus.

Knoth, out of New York, was an appealing arm to model-reliant teams in a loaded prep class. He was just 17 on draft day, one of the youngest pitchers taken after a spring season in which his stock shot up. He saw a velocity spike that added to already-good stuff, and his performance ticked up accordingly. Knoth notched a 19-strikeout perfect game to become one of the buzziest prospects on the board.

Then undersized at 6-foot-1 and 190 pounds, Knoth stood out in pre-draft reports for his ability to spin the baseball. Scouts and data emphasized a fastball that sat 93-95 mph with solid shape, in addition to a pair of breaking balls routinely generating 3,000+ rpm of spin. Knoth’s changeup notably lagged behind his two breaking balls as a fringy pitch, but he received positive reviews for improved control leading up to the draft.

Knoth debuted for Carolina in his age-18 season, and like many prep arms, he had ups and downs. A fairly unexciting 4.48 ERA was enhanced by better under-the-hood numbers. Knoth’s 3.57 xFIP and 26.6% strikeout rate were reasons for optimism over a 21-start, 81-inning debut season. Knoth didn’t show a great feel for the strike zone, and his 11.1% walk rate defied those optimistic takes on his control. Still, command questions aside, Knoth was at least par for the level, if not better in his first professional season.

So where does this injury news leave him, with a less clear path forward? Certainly. Knoth’s profile was imbued with some reliever risk due to his undersized frame. Add in patchy control in his first professional season and a missed year due to injury, and it’s easy to travel down a rabbit hole of concern. Still, time is on his side. His comeback in 2026 will be important in ensuring he remains on track as a starter who could help the Brewers, but he'll throw competitive pitches again before he turns 21. That's reassuring, at a difficult moment like this.

Interested in learning more about the Milwaukee Brewers' top prospects? Check out our comprehensive top prospects list that includes up-to-date stats, articles and videos about every prospect, scouting reports, and more!