They let the Rangers go Andrew Knapp from his minor league contract. Jeff Wilson of Rangers Today tweets that the veteran tight end has triggered an opt-out clause in the contract.
Knapp, 32, spent the entire season with Triple-A Round Rock. The pinch-hitting backstop turned in a .292/.374/.444 slash line with a solid 11.8% walk rate against a 24.4% strikeout percentage. He connected on six homers, 13 doubles and a triple in 254 plate appearances. While Knapp undoubtedly benefited from the Pacific Coast League's friendly atmosphere, it's a solid showing of deep catching.
The Rangers have three catchers on their 40-man roster: Jonah Heim, Andrew Knizner again Sam Huff. Heim hasn't been great this season but is in no danger of losing his starting job after a great '23 campaign. Texas will stick with Knziner, who signed for $1.825MM over the winter, as a backup. The former Cardinal slugged .147/.169/.206 over 30 games, but apparently the Rangers still prefer him over Knapp. Huff spent most of the season volunteering at Triple-A, where he had a 31.7% strikeout rate.
A former second-round pick of the Phillies, Knapp spent the 2017-21 seasons in Philadelphia. He hit between three teams in 2022 and hasn't reached the majors in the past year and a half. The Cal product is a career .209/.310/.313 hitter in 325 major league games. He appeared in parts of six seasons at the Triple-A level, posting a .257/.337/.410 slash. The public's defensive metrics haven't been particularly high for his receiving ability, but Knapp's respectable record in Triple-A should at least earn him another minor league opportunity.
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