June 21, 2025, Corvallis, Ore. – Former Stanford pitcher Jacob Palisch became the latest Corvallis Knights alum to make the major leagues when the 26-year-old left-hander pitched an inning against the Toronto Blue Jays on June 21 in his MLB debut.
The Richardson, Tex., native allowed two runs on two hits in his first appearance, pitching the eighth inning of a 7-1 loss at the Rogers Center. He was recalled from double-A Birmingham of the Southern League on June 20.
“It’s the dream that everyone’s had since they’re a little kid,” Palisch told reporter Julia Kreuz of MLB.com. “And to have that finally come true, it’s just, it’s hard to really put it into words. It doesn’t completely feel real.”
Palisch pitched for the Knights in 2018 following his freshman season at Stanford. He was 0-0, 5.40 in seven appearances, with 10 strikeouts in 10 innings.
His statistics were skewed by one bad game, when he allowed five runs in 1.2 innings against Portland. Otherwise, he did not allow a run in five of his other six games and posted an impressive 1.08 ERA.
He was one of the most decorated players in team history to join the Knights. He was a Perfect Game, NCBWA and Collegiate Baseball Newspaper freshman All-American in 2018 before reporting to Corvallis.
He becomes the seventh Knights alum to appear in an MLB game in 2025, joining Brooks Lee (2019, Twins), Adley Rutschman (2016, Orioles), Tyler Anderson (2009, Angels), Steven Kwan (2016, Guardians), Matt Boyd (2010, Cubs) and Ryan Walker (2015, Giants). Nick Madrigal (2015, Mets) is on the injured list and dhas not played this season.
Palisch was having an outstanding season at Birmingham, with a 4-1 record, 1.19 ERA and 35 strikeouts in 53 innings over 15 games. He was named the Southern League’s Pitcher of the Month, and the White Sox Minor League Player of the Month, for May.
After appearing in relief in his first eight games this season, he was moved into the rotation and posted a 1.15 ERA in 39 innings over seven starts.
His promotion capped a steady rise through Chicago’s minor league system. Signed as an undrafted free agent on July 31, 2022, he pitched at low-A Kannapolis in 2022, high-A Winston-Salem I n 2023 and at double-A Birmingham in 2024 and 2025.
Palisch graduated from Stanford in 2021, transferred to Texas A&M in 2022 as a graduate student. He began his pro career at the lowest level of the Chicago system, in the Arizona Rookie League, after not being selected in the 2022 draft.
“I’d have some good spurts, then I’d struggle,” said told MLB.com in describing the challenges he faced while moving up the minor-league ladder. “I’d be giving up runs, the ERA would be skyrocketing and the arm would be hurting.
“It’s like, ‘Hey, I’ve got two really good degrees. I’m missing out on a lot of my friends’ weddings and all that stuff. Is this something I really want to keep doing?’
“But I got a lot of support from a lot of people, and I kept with it.”
In other team news, inclement weather forced the postponement of the June 21 game against the Ridgefield Raptors. It has been rescheduled for 3:35 p.m. June 22 as Game 1 of a double-header. Game 2 will follow.
Game 1 starters are expected to be Portland righty Trey Newmann (1-0, 7.44) for Corvallis, opposed by Oregon State lefty Max Fraser (0-0, 0.00) for the Black Bears.
Probable Game 2 starters are TCU righty Nate Stern (0-0, 3.00) for Corvallis and lefty Owen Harper (0-0, 5.06) of Paradise Valley CC for the Raptors.
It’s the Corvallis Clinic Foundation’s annual Strike Out Cancer Night. It supports Project H.E.R., a comprehensive oncology support group for cancer patients.