UVA catcher Caleb Knight (Checotah, Okla.) signed a free agent deal with the Chicago Cubs. He joins former Cavalier teammates, Derek Casey and Andy Weber, who were both drafted by the Cubs earlier this month.
Knight becomes the sixth member of the 2018 team to sign a professional contract. The Cavaliers had six players selected in the 2018 MLB Draft and two that have signed free agent deals.
The senior catcher appeared in 84 games over the last two seasons after transferring to Virginia from Connors State College in Oklahoma. As a junior, Knight started the final 30 games of the 2017 season while batting .301 with four home runs, 32 runs scored and 20 RBI. All four of his home runs came in Atlantic Coast Conference play.
Injuries limited Knight to 15 games behind the plate in 2018. He appeared in a total of 42 games between catcher, first base and designated hitter. He reached base safely in each of his first 14 games in and batted .311 (14-for-46) in that span.
He boasted a .427 on-base percentage in his two-year Virginia career. His 26 career hit by pitches are the 11th most in program history.
Prior to his arrival at Virginia, Knight was recognized as the 2016 Spaulding NJCAA Division I Defensive Player of the Year. He earned a Rawlings Gold Glove and All-Region honors from the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA). As a sophomore he hit .404 with 12 homers and 67 RBI.
Members of the 2018 UVA baseball team in MiLB
- Daniel Lynch (1st Round – 34th overall) – Kansas City Royals
- Jake McCarthy (1st Round – 39th overall) – Arizona Diamondbacks
- Andy Weber (5th Round – 158th overall) – Chicago Cubs*
- Derek Casey (9th Round – 278th overall) – Chicago Cubs
- Bennett Sousa (10th Round – 288th overall) – Chicago White Sox
- Cameron Simmons (15th Round – 449th overall) – Texas Rangers*
- Mack Meyer (Free Agent) – San Francisco Giants
- Caleb Knight (Free Agent) – Chicago Cubs
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