towering 6-9 arm with real strikeout upside, but 2026 knee injury clouds the outlook
In the 2025 season, Watkins flashed the stuff that makes scouts lean forward: he made 19 appearances with 11 starts for Oklahoma State and finished second on the team with 70 strikeouts, but his 5.43 ERA and 1.56 WHIP show the consistency still needs work.[1][7] At 6-foot-9 with a power righty profile, he has the frame and mound presence to miss bats and project as a matchup problem when he’s on, but a reported long-term knee injury has him unlikely for the 2026 season, which is a huge red flag for immediate fit and availability.[1][5]
