WILLIAMSBURG — After a standout season with William & Mary baseball, pitcher Nate Knowles was invited to the 2024 MLB Draft Combine in Phoenix, Arizona in June.
During the 2024 season, Knowles racked up multiple accomplishments, including CAA Pitcher of the Year, College Baseball Foundation National Pitcher of the Year watchlist, All-CAA First Team, ABCA/Rawlings Atlantic All-Region First Team, and was named to the D1Baseball’s Top 150 Starting Pitchers list at number 24.
“As a freshman, I had my role and really just put my head down and worked. In my sophomore year, I gradually got better and I took on a bit bigger of a role as some of our older pitchers left. Moving into my junior year, I worked hard and really wanted to be a leader of the pitching staff and I helped the team win a little bit. I also think I helped a lot of other pitchers learn how to compete and work hard and pitch better,” Knowles said.
Of all the accolades, earning CAA Pitcher of the Year was the most special.
“Last year I wanted to win CAA Pitcher of the Year and I thought I had a good year but I did end up fizzling out at the end. This year, I didn’t really think about it too much, I kind of looked up at the end of year and my stats were at the top of the rankings, so I definitely started thinking that it might be possible. I wanted it in 2023 and I didn’t get there, but I worked hard and trusted the preparation and this year it happened for me,” Knowles said.
In the middle of the season, an email came to Knowles’ inbox to inform him that he was one of the top prospects heading into the 2024 MLB Draft and that he was invited to the MLB Draft Combine in June.
While in Phoenix, Knowles did not throw any pitches but was exposed to interviews and media training, a strength and conditioning test, questionnaires, medical evaluations, a body composition test, a vision test, and meetings.
“It was such a nice experience. I can look back and know that I got the invite to the combine because of my season. It’s special to me to know that MLB thinks I’m a top prospect and I had a season to show that. It definitely gets my hopes up for the upcoming draft,” Knowles said.
Knowles has plans to watch the draft from home in Arlington with his family. He is currently ranked 219 in the MLB’s Top 250 Draft Pick list.
“The main goal for me is to continue to develop as good as I can and to make it to the big leagues,” Knowles said.
The 2024 Major League Baseball Draft will take place in Fort Worth, Texas from July 14 to 16. For more information on the draft, visit mlb.com/draft/2024.
