The Texas Rangers, reigning World Champions, have strengthened their upper minors roster by signing Andrew Knapp, a former catcher for the Phillies, Pirates, and SF Giants, to a minor league contract. This move is part of the team’s recent efforts to solidify their depth in the upper minors, including a series of signings.
Knapp split his 2023 season between the Detroit Tigers and Houston Astros’ Triple-A affiliates, registering a combined .233/.328/.377 batting line across 97 games. Throughout six consecutive MLB seasons from 2017 to 2022, he accumulated a .209/.310/.313 batting line with 13 home runs over 873 plate appearances. In 2022, he struggled at the plate in 14 major league games, posting a paltry .143/.262/.171 triple-slash while playing for the Pirates, Mariners, and Giants.
Initially drafted in the 2nd round of the 2013 MLB Draft by the Phillies from Cal, Knapp ascended through the minors and made his MLB debut with Philadelphia in 2017, appearing in 56 games. Despite not being known for power hitting, he focuses on contributing offensively with gap-to-gap power and a patient approach. However, his major league career has primarily seen him as a light-hitting backup.
Defensively, Knapp’s performance behind the plate has been consistently average, although he has encountered difficulties throwing out base stealers, holding a career 19% mark compared to the MLB’s 30% target. Last year, with the new rules designed to facilitate base stealing, Knapp did not receive a big-league opportunity. At Triple-A, he managed to throw out 23% of opposing base stealers.
Having navigated through a series of minor league contracts over the last couple of seasons, Knapp aims for stability in 2024. Signing a minor league deal with the Texas Rangers, he seeks to make his first official MLB appearance since his time with the SF Giants in 2022.
