Brewers Promote Top-10 Prospect, Former First-Round Pick Who Missed 2025 Season

The 21-year-old pitcher is moving up

Wisconsin Timber Rattlers Josh Knoth (21) pitches against the Great Lake Loons Wednesday, June 10, 2026, at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium in Grand Chute, Wisconsin. The Timber Rattlers won 5-0. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Milwaukee Brewers pitching prospect Josh Knoth was selected by the team in the first round of the 2023 MLB June Amateur Draft.

Just over three years later, the right-hander is moving up to Double-A and will be just two stops away from the majors.

"The Brewers have promoted No. 9 prospect Josh Knoth to Double-A Biloxi," MLB Pipeline reporter Sam Dykstra wrote on Bluesky.

Knoth is not only the organization's No. 9 overall prospect (according to MLB.com), but the Brewers' third-ranked minor-league pitcher as well.

The 21-year-old will join a stacked Biloxi Shuckers roster that also includes baseball's No. 1 overall prospect Jesus Made, Milwaukee's No. 2 prospect Luis Pena and No. 3 prospect Josh Adamczewski.

Knoth made his professional debut in 2024 with the Carolina Mudcats, going 4-6 with a 4.48 ERA, 1.39 WHIP and 96 strikeouts across 84 1/3 innings pitched covering 21 starts, but underwent Tommy John surgery in January 2025.

Right-Handed Pitcher Has Been One Of Best Starters For Timber Rattlers

Jul 27, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; An equipment bag with the Milwaukee Brewers logo sits on the field before the game against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The former 33rd overall pick missed the entire 2025 campaign after going under the knife, but has been one of the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers most effective starters this year.

Knoth was assigned to Wisconsin on May 21 and has gone 5-3 with a 4.33 ERA, 1.31 WHIP and 66 strikeouts across 68 2/3 innings pitched covering 16 games (14 starts) in 2026. He has the lowest ERA and WHIP among the Timber Rattlers' four pitchers to make at least 10 starts this season.

Knoth is also third on the team in games started and innings pitched, while ranking fourth in strikeouts.

His prospects writeup on MLB.com labeled him as a possible "breakout candidate."

"... the stuff is intriguing enough to make him a breakout candidate if he can maintain the quality of the arsenal over a likely innings limit," it reads. "Knoth’s upside remains in the middle of a future Milwaukee rotation."

Knoth had arguably the best start of his professional career on Aug. 1 against the Lansing Lugnuts when he hurled six shutout innings and allowed just one walk and three hits to go along with seven strikeouts.

He last pitched on Tuesday against the South Bend Cubs, earning the win in relief after working six innings and allowing three runs (two earned) on seven hits, one walk and four strikeouts.