Andrew Michael Knapp (born November 9, 1991) is an American
professional baseball
Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in baseball league, leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world.
Mod ...
catcher
Catcher is a Baseball positions, position in baseball and softball. When a Batter (baseball), batter takes their at bat, turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the (home plate, home) Umpire (baseball), umpire, and recei ...
in the
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston, Texas. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division, having moved to the division in 2013 after ...
organization. He has previously played in
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
(MLB) for the
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. Since 2004, the team's home sta ...
,
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Founded as part of the American Associati ...
,
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West division. The team joined the American League ...
and
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball team based in San Francisco, California. The Giants compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1883 as the New Yor ...
. He played college baseball for the
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley, Berkeley, Cal, or California) is a public land-grant research university in Berkeley, California. Established in 1868 as the University of California, it is the state's first land-grant u ...
. He was drafted by the Phillies in the second round of the
2013 Major League Baseball draft
The 2013 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft was held from June 6 through June 8, 2013. The first two rounds were broadcast from Studio 42 of the MLB Network in Secaucus, New Jersey.
Each team received one selection per round, going in ...
and ascended through the Phillies'
minor league system in four seasons, winning the organization's award for best minor league player in 2015.
A
switch hitter, Knapp made his big league debut in 2017 and served as the team's primary backup catcher for five seasons. Known for his defensive skills and ability to handle the pitching staff, he has been called one of the best backup catchers in baseball.
Early life
Knapp was born in
Roseville, California
Roseville is the most populous city in Placer County, California, located within the Sacramento metropolitan area. As of 2019, the US Census Bureau estimated the city's population to be 141,500. Interstate 80 runs through Roseville and State Rout ...
, and attended
Granite Bay High School
Granite Bay High School is located in Granite Bay, California, United States. Granite Bay High School was founded in 1996 and was named a National Blue Ribbon School by the United States Secretary of Education in 2002 and a California Distinguis ...
in
Granite Bay, California
Granite Bay is a census-designated place (CDP) in Placer County, California, United States. It is part of the Sacramento–Arden-Arcade– Roseville Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 21,247 at the 2020 census, up from 20,402 ...
.
During his childhood, he followed his father Mike, a minor league catcher, across the country, visiting 38 states by the time he was five years old and living in at least six of them. Though Mike never pushed his sons towards baseball, both played and excelled. Mike, who never made the major leagues, was a right-handed hitter, which he attributes as part of the reason he never broke in at the big-league level. Andrew started hitting left-handed—and eventually as a
switch hitter—at the suggestion of his mother, who wanted her son to avoid her husband's fate.
After a successful high school career, Knapp was drafted by the
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics (often referred to as the A's) are an American professional baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. The te ...
in the 41st round of the
2010 Major League Baseball draft
The 2010 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft was held on June 7–9, 2010 at the MLB Network Studios in Secaucus, New Jersey.
First-round selections
The draft order was determined based on the 2009 MLB standings, with the worst team pic ...
, but he did not sign. Instead, he attended the
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley, Berkeley, Cal, or California) is a public land-grant research university in Berkeley, California. Established in 1868 as the University of California, it is the state's first land-grant u ...
, to play
college baseball
College baseball is baseball that is played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education. In comparison to football and basketball, college competition in the United States plays a smaller role in developing professional pl ...
in the
Pac-12 Conference
The Pac-12 Conference is a collegiate List of NCAA conferences, athletic conference, that operates in the Western United States, participating in 24 sports at the NCAA Division I level. Its College football, football teams compete in the NCAA D ...
. After struggling throughout his first two seasons, Knapp began to break through during his junior year, when he became a full-time catcher.
That season, Knapp was third in the conference with a .350 batting average, tied for third with a .544
slugging percentage
In baseball statistics, slugging percentage (SLG) is a measure of the batting productivity of a hitter. It is calculated as total bases divided by at bats, through the following formula, where ''AB'' is the number of at bats for a given player, ...
, ranked fourth with a .434
on-base percentage
In baseball statistics, on-base percentage (OBP) measures how frequently a batter reaches base. An official Major League Baseball (MLB) statistic since 1984, it is sometimes referred to as on-base average (OBA), as it is rarely presented as a ...
, and hit eight
home run
In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team. A home run i ...
s.
Over three seasons, he hit .294, with 14 home runs, and 82
runs batted in
A run batted in (RBI; plural RBIs ) is a statistic in baseball and softball that credits a batter for making a play that allows a run to be scored (except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play). For example, if the bat ...
(RBIs) for the
California Golden Bears baseball
The California Golden Bears baseball team represents the University of California, Berkeley in NCAA Division I college baseball. Along with most other California athletic teams, the baseball team participates in the Pac-12 Conference. The Bears ...
team.
In 2012, he played
collegiate summer baseball
Collegiate summer baseball leagues are amateur baseball leagues in the United States and Canada featuring players who have attended at least one year of college and have at least one year of athletic eligibility remaining. Generally, they operat ...
with the
Chatham Anglers
The Chatham Anglers, more commonly referred to as the Chatham A's and formerly the Chatham Athletics, are a collegiate summer baseball team based in Chatham, Massachusetts. The team is a member of the Cape Cod Baseball League (CCBL) and plays in t ...
of the
Cape Cod Baseball League
The Cape Cod Baseball League (CCBL or Cape League) is a collegiate summer baseball wooden bat league located on Cape Cod in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. One of the nation's premier collegiate summer leagues, the league boasts over one thousan ...
, and was named a league all-star.
Entering the
2013 MLB Draft
The 2013 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft was held from June 6 through June 8, 2013. The first two rounds were broadcast from Studio 42 of the MLB Network in Secaucus, New Jersey.
Each team received one selection per round, going in ...
, Knapp was viewed as "headlin
ngthe second tier of catchers in this year's class", with scout Mike Rosenbaum projecting that he could be a slightly above-average hitter and defender with average
power
Power most often refers to:
* Power (physics), meaning "rate of doing work"
** Engine power, the power put out by an engine
** Electric power
* Power (social and political), the ability to influence people or events
** Abusive power
Power may a ...
and an above-average throwing arm.
Professional career
Minor leagues
Knapp was drafted by the
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. Since 2004, the team's home sta ...
in the second round of the
2013 MLB draft
The 2013 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft was held from June 6 through June 8, 2013. The first two rounds were broadcast from Studio 42 of the MLB Network in Secaucus, New Jersey.
Each team received one selection per round, going in ...
and signed with the Phillies for a $1,033,100
signing bonus
A signing bonus or sign-on bonus is a sum of money paid to a new employee (including a professional sports person) by a company as an incentive to join that company. They are often given as a way of making a compensation package more attractive ...
. He made his professional debut with the
Williamsport Crosscutters
The Williamsport Crosscutters are a collegiate summer baseball team of the MLB Draft League. They are located in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, and play their home games at Muncy Bank Ballpark at Historic Bowman Field. From 1994 to 2020, they were a ...
where he posted a .253
batting average
Batting average is a statistic in cricket, baseball, and softball that measures the performance of batters. The development of the baseball statistic was influenced by the cricket statistic.
Cricket
In cricket, a player's batting average is ...
with 20 doubles (tied for the league lead), four home runs, and 23 RBIs in 62 games. He spent 2014 with both the
Lakewood BlueClaws
The Jersey Shore BlueClaws (formerly Lakewood BlueClaws) are a Minor League Baseball team of the South Atlantic League and the High-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies. They are located in Lakewood, New Jersey, and are named for their locat ...
and
Clearwater Threshers
The Clearwater Threshers are a Minor League Baseball team of the Florida State League and the Single-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies. They are located in Clearwater, Florida, and have played their home games at BayCare Ballpark since 2 ...
, hitting a combined .260/.324/.385 with six home runs and 32 RBIs in 98 games and was named an MiLB.com Organization All Star.
Knapp started 2015 with Clearwater where he was a mid-season FSL All Star, and was promoted to the
Reading Fightin Phils
The Reading Fightin Phils (also called the Reading Fightins) are a Minor League Baseball team based in Reading, Pennsylvania, playing in the Northeast Division of the Eastern League. The team plays their home games at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Re ...
during the season.
He hit a combined .308/.385/.491 with 13 home runs and 84 RBIs in 118 total games between the two teams.
For his performance in 2015, he won the
Paul Owens Award
This is a list of award winners and league leaders for the Philadelphia Phillies professional baseball team.
Award winners
Most Valuable Player (NL)
:Note: This award was known as the Kenesaw Mountain Landis Memorial Baseball Award 1944-2019.
: ...
, which the Phillies' organization awards to its best minor league player each season.
Knapp spent 2016 with the
Lehigh Valley IronPigs
The Lehigh Valley IronPigs are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League (IL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies. They are located in Allentown, Pennsylvania, and are named in reference to pig iron, used in the ...
, and his offensive performance "tapered off".
Knapp did, however, take strides defensively, which at the time was viewed as an area of relative weakness that he would need to improve to have a chance at the major league level.
He ended the season with a .266 batting average, eight home runs, and 46 RBIs in 107 games. He was named an
International League
The International League (IL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the United States. Along with the Pacific Coast League, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one grade below Major League Baseball ...
mid-season All Star. After the season, he played in the
Dominican Winter League
Dominican may refer to:
* Someone or something from or related to the Dominican Republic ( , stress on the "mi"), on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles, in the Caribbean
** People of the Dominican Republic
** Demographics of the Domi ...
.
Philadelphia Phillies
The Phillies added Knapp to their
40-man roster
A Major League Baseball roster is a list of players who are allowed, by league agreement, to play for a Major League Baseball (MLB) team. Each MLB team maintains two rosters: an active roster of players eligible to participate in an MLB game, and ...
after the 2016 season,
and he ultimately made the Phillies' 2017
Opening Day
Opening Day is the day on which professional baseball leagues begin their regular season. For Major League Baseball (MLB) and most of the American minor leagues, this day typically falls during the first week of April, although in recent years ...
roster, spending the whole season at the major league level as a backup catcher to
Cameron Rupp as the Phillies awaited the arrival of higher-regarded prospect
Jorge Alfaro
Jorge Mario Alfaro Buelvas (born June 11, 1993) is a Colombian professional baseball catcher who is a free agent. Alfaro signed with the Texas Rangers as a free agent in 2010, and was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies in 2015. He made his ML ...
. As the year went on, his playing time increased and his role evolved into more of a timeshare with Rupp. For the season, he batted .257/.368/.368 with three home runs and 13 RBIs in 56 games (171 at bats). He threw out 20 percent of attempted base stealers.
During the offseason, after the death of former Phillies
Cy Young Award
The Cy Young Award is given annually to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball (MLB), one each for the American League (AL) and National League (NL). The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Hall ...
-winning pitcher
Roy Halladay
Harry Leroy "Roy" Halladay III (May 14, 1977 – November 7, 2017) was an American professional baseball pitcher, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Toronto Blue Jays and Philadelphia Phillies between 1998 and 2013. His nicknam ...
, Knapp changed his number from Halladay's former 34 to 15, the number Knapp had worn in college, to honor Halladay.
Knapp again battled for the backup catcher position entering 2018 and, again, made the opening day roster, this time as a backup to Alfaro. Knapp did, however, make his first career opening day start. On July 1, 2018, Knapp hit the team’s first
walk-off home run
In baseball, a walk-off home run is a home run that ends the game. For a home run to end the game, it must be hit in the bottom of the final inning of the game and generate enough runs to exceed the opponent's score. Because the opponent will not ...
since 2016, a 13th inning blast against the
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are an American professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C.. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. From 2005 to 2007, the team played in RFK Stadiu ...
.
Despite his paltry overall hitting performance—a .198 batting average with four home runs and 15 RBIs in 187 at bats—the team began to value Knapp's defensive and game management skills along with his ability to get on base.
During the offseason prior to the Phillies' 2019 campaign, they acquired
J. T. Realmuto in exchange for a package of prospects that included Alfaro, again opening a clear path for Knapp to start the season as the team's backup catcher. He did, once again spending the season as the team's primary backup catcher.
Although he continued to struggle offensively, Phillies' management expressed comfort with keeping Knapp as Realmuto's backup moving forward. Overall in 2019, he batted .213/.318/.324 with two home runs and eight RBIs in 136 at bats, but he closed the season on a high note, hitting .290 during the last nine games of the season.
He also threw out a career-best 29 percent of attempted base stealers.
The Phillies' catching situation remained unchanged entering spring training in 2020, with Knapp projected to serve as Realmuto's backup, and that eventually was the case once the season began in July after a delay due to the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
. During the shortened season, all teams used a
designated hitter
The designated hitter (DH) is a baseball player who bats in place of another position player, most commonly the pitcher. The position is authorized by Major League Baseball Rule 5.11. It was adopted by the American League in 1973 and later by th ...
(DH), which allowed Knapp to have expanded playing time as Realmuto could occasionally serve as DH while reducing the strain on him to catch every day.
Knapp ultimately played 33 of 60 games during the shortened season, hitting a career-best .278 with two home runs and 15 RBIs.
His performance led ''
Philadelphia Inquirer
''The Philadelphia Inquirer'' is a daily newspaper headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The newspaper's circulation is the largest in both the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the Delaware Valley metropolitan region of Southeastern Pennsy ...
'' columnist Bob Brookover to suggest he was the best backup catcher in baseball (a corollary to the Phillies' mantra that Realmuto is the "best catcher in baseball").
In August, when the Phillies retired the number of
Dick Allen
Richard Anthony Allen (March 8, 1942 – December 7, 2020) was an American professional baseball player. During his fifteen-year-long Major League Baseball (MLB) career, he played as a first baseman, third baseman, and outfielder, most notably ...
, Knapp again switched his number, this time from Allen's 15 to 7.
Knapp entered 2021 poised to continue his role as Realmuto's backup, though with uncertainty throughout the offseason about whether Realmuto would re-sign with the team or would be ready for opening day after suffering a thumb injury, Knapp prepared to play an expanded role.
In his first at-bat of the season, on April 4, Knapp hit the Phillies' first home run of the season.
In the 2021 season he batted a career-low .152. His .429 OPS was the second-lowest OPS among catchers who had at least 50 plate appearances. He struck 38% of the time, a career worst, and threw out only 2 of 22 attempted base stealers. On November 5, 2021 the Phillies outrighted Knapp off of the 40-man roster and he became a free agent.
Cincinnati Reds
On December 1, 2021, Knapp signed a minor league contract with the
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division and were a charter member of ...
. Knapp was released by the Reds organization on April 5, 2022.
Pittsburgh Pirates
On April 5, 2022, the same day as his release from the Reds, Knapp signed a major league contract with the
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Founded as part of the American Associati ...
to serve as the team's backup catcher. Knapp appeared in 11 games for the Pirates, slashing .129/.229/.161 with no home runs and 2 RBI. Knapp was designated by assignment by the Pirates on May 16 following the acquisition of
Tyler Heineman
Tyler Andrew Heineman (born June 19, 1991) is an American professional baseball catcher in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization. He played college baseball for the UCLA Bruins. The Houston Astros selected Heineman in the eighth round of the 2012 ...
. He cleared outright waivers and elected free agency on May 19, 2022.
Seattle Mariners
On May 21, 2022, Knapp signed a minor league contract with the
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West division. The team joined the American League ...
and was assigned to the
Tacoma Rainiers
The Tacoma Rainiers are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners. They are located in Tacoma, Washington, and play their home games at Cheney Stadium, which opened in 1960 ...
of the
Triple-A Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League (PCL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the Western United States. Along with the International League, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A level, which is one grade bel ...
. On June 27, Knapp was selected by the
Mariners to be the backup catcher to
Cal Raleigh
Caleb John Raleigh (born November 26, 1996) is an American professional baseball catcher for the Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2021. His nickname is Big Dumper.
Amateur career
Raleigh attended Smoky M ...
.
On July 9, 2022, Knapp was designated for assignment. He was released on July 13.
San Francisco Giants
On July 22, 2022, Knapp signed a minor league deal with the
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball team based in San Francisco, California. The Giants compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1883 as the New Yor ...
. On August 31, Knapp's contract was selected from the Triple-A
Sacramento River Cats
The Sacramento River Cats are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and are the Triple-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants. Prior to 2015, the River Cats were the Triple-A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics for 15 yea ...
, after batting .312/.373/.634 with the club in 102 plate appearances. Knapp was designated for assignment on September 6. He cleared waivers and was sent outright to Sacramento on September 8. He elected free agency following the season on October 6.
Detroit Tigers
On December 23, 2022, Knapp signed a minor league deal with the
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the American League (AL) Central division. One of the AL's eight charter franchises, the club was f ...
. In 70 games for the Triple–A
Toledo Mud Hens
The Toledo Mud Hens are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers. They are located in Toledo, Ohio, and play their home games at Fifth Third Field. A Mud Hens team has played in ...
, he batted .253/.337/.397 with 6 home runs and 25 RBI. On August 9, 2023, Knapp was released by the Tigers organization.
Houston Astros
On August 16, 2023, Knapp signed a minor league contract with the
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston, Texas. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division, having moved to the division in 2013 after ...
organization.
Player profile
Despite posting outstanding statistics at the minor league level and initially being viewed as an offense-first prospect,
Knapp has always been seen primarily as a backup or situational catcher at the major league level, primarily due to his struggles as a hitter.
But Knapp quickly asserted himself as a defender and game caller, earning the trust of the pitching staff, who often posted better numbers when Knapp was catching.
In time, Knapp has improved in terms of his ability to get on base, particularly through
walks and limiting
strikeouts
In baseball or softball, a strikeout (or strike-out) occurs when a batter accumulates three strikes during a time at bat. It usually means that the batter is out. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters, and is deno ...
, until 2021.
Over the course of his first several seasons at the major league level, Knapp often started on days when
Zach Eflin
Zack or Zach may refer to:
People
* Zach (surname), various people
* Zack (surname), various people
* Zack (personal name), lists of people and fictional characters named Zack, Zach, Zac, Zak or Zakk
* Záh (gens) or Zách, a ''gens'' (clan) in th ...
pitched. Knapp and Eflin had worked together since the Double-A level and developed a strong rapport—Eflin's performance as a pitcher was appreciably stronger with Knapp behind the plate.
Knapp was viewed as a leader in the Phillies' clubhouse and has the respect of teammates including
Bryce Harper
Bryce Aron Max Harper (born October 16, 1992) is an American professional baseball right fielder and designated hitter for the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball (MLB). Prior to his arrival in Philadelphia, Harper played for the Wash ...
, who said during spring training in 2021, "I know everybody talks about Knapp and the way he hits or whatever, but that guy – to have a backup catcher like Knapp, he’s so good with the pitchers. The way he calls games, the way he frames – so much goes into it. He's so good back there."
Personal life
Knapp married Hannah Hughes in November 2018. His father, Mike Knapp, played 11 years of minor league baseball, and his brother and former teammate at UC Berkeley, Aaron Knapp, was an eighth-round draft pick of the
Miami Marlins
The Miami Marlins are an American professional baseball team based in Miami. The Marlins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The club's home ballpark is LoanDepot Park.
The franc ...
in 2016. Aaron reached the Triple-A level of the
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West division. The team joined the American League ...
organization and is currently a minor league
free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...
.
References
External links
Andrew Knappat Baseball Almanac
Andrew KnappCalifornia Golden Bears bio
{{DEFAULTSORT:Knapp, Andrew
1991 births
Living people
Águilas Cibaeñas players
American expatriate baseball players in the Dominican Republic
Baseball players from Placer County, California
California Golden Bears baseball players
Chatham Anglers players
Clearwater Threshers players
Glendale Desert Dogs players
Lakewood BlueClaws players
Lehigh Valley IronPigs players
Major League Baseball catchers
Sportspeople from Roseville, California
Philadelphia Phillies players
Pittsburgh Pirates players
Reading Fightin Phils players
Sacramento River Cats players
San Francisco Giants players
Seattle Mariners players
Tacoma Rainiers players
Toledo Mud Hens players
Williamsport Crosscutters players