By BYRON BEERS
An Oklahoma State commit, Bixby’s Max Knight will be one of the top baseball prospects in the state in 2023.
Knight is equally imposing at the plate and on the mound. He helped the Spartans to a 33-8 overall record and Class 6A State Tournament appearance in 2022.
“He’s one of the top hitters in the state,” said Bixby head coach Justin Delay. “He has some of the most extreme opposite field power you will have ever seen from a high school hitter. “Bixby will depend on him on the mound this year, and he’s getting better everyday. He lives at 88-91 mph on his fastball and has been up to 92.”
As a junior from the left side of the plate, Knight hit .410 and clubbed a school single-season record 15 home runs. The outfielder also tallied 14 doubles, one triple, drove in 47 runs and had a .503 on-base percentage.
“My playing strengths include my ability to hit the ball to all parts of the field and stay positive no matter the situation,” Knight said. “My personal goals are to get stronger, faster, and beat the home run record I set last year.”
A majority of Knight’s training with the bat comes off a tee. It’s his favorite drill.
“With tee work, I have the option to be by myself and really focus on the different aspects of my swing,” he said.
In limited work on the mound last year, Knight had a 3.20 earned run average in 34 innings. The left-hander posted a 4-0 record, one save and collected 50 strikeouts. Over the summer, he set a personal record with a 92 mph fastball.
“On the mound, he didn’t pitch as much as we wanted him to because he had an Achilles injury that sidelined him,” Delay said.
Knight has played baseball for 14 years and is influenced by Boston Red Sox outfielder Alex Verdugo.
“On the baseball field I look up to Alex Verdugo for not only his playing ability but his personality that shows through his game,” Knight said.
Knight feels the Spartans can reach new heights this upcoming season.
“I feel like we have the most talented group of ball players here at Bixby and I expect us to go very far in the postseason,” he said.
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