Andrew Knapp facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Andrew Knapp |
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Knapp with the Toledo Mud Hens in 2023
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| Catcher | |||
| Born: November 9, 1991 Roseville, California, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| April 6, 2017, for the Philadelphia Phillies | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| August 28, 2024, for the San Francisco Giants | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .209 | ||
| Home runs | 13 | ||
| Runs batted in | 66 | ||
| Teams | |||
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Andrew Michael Knapp (born November 9, 1991) is an American former professional baseball catcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for several teams. These include the Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates, Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers, and San Francisco Giants.
Andrew played college baseball for the University of California, Berkeley. The Phillies chose him in the second round of the 2013 MLB draft. He was a switch hitter, meaning he could bat from both the left and right sides. Knapp moved up through the Phillies' minor league teams in four seasons. He won an award for being the organization's best minor league player in 2015. He started playing in MLB in 2017. He was the team's main backup catcher for five seasons.
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Andrew Knapp's Early Life and College Baseball
Andrew Knapp was born in Roseville, California. He went to Granite Bay High School in Granite Bay, California. His father, Mike, was a minor league catcher. Andrew traveled a lot with his father when he was young. By age five, he had visited 38 states and lived in at least six of them.
Mike never pushed his sons to play baseball. But both Andrew and his brother played well. Mike was a right-handed hitter. Andrew's mother suggested he try hitting left-handed. This led him to become a switch hitter. She wanted him to have more options than his father did.
High School and College Choices
After a good high school career, the Oakland Athletics drafted Knapp in 2010. This was in the 41st round of the 2010 Major League Baseball draft. However, he decided not to sign with them. Instead, he chose to attend the University of California, Berkeley. There, he played college baseball in the Pac-12 Conference.
Andrew had a tough first two seasons in college. But he started to do much better in his junior year. This was when he became a full-time catcher. That season, he was third in his conference with a .350 batting average. He also hit eight home runs.
Over three seasons, he hit .294 for the California Golden Bears baseball team. He had 14 home runs and 82 runs batted in (RBIs). In 2012, he played summer baseball for the Chatham Anglers. This was in the Cape Cod Baseball League. He was named an all-star in that league.
Before the 2013 MLB Draft, experts saw Knapp as a top catcher. They thought he could be a good hitter and defender. They also believed he had average power and a strong throwing arm.
Andrew Knapp's Professional Baseball Career
Playing in the Minor Leagues
The Philadelphia Phillies drafted Andrew Knapp in the second round of the 2013 MLB draft. He signed with them for over $1 million. He started his professional career with the Williamsport Crosscutters. There, he had a .253 batting average. He also hit four home runs and had 23 RBIs in 62 games.
In 2014, he played for the Lakewood BlueClaws and Clearwater Threshers. He hit .260 with six home runs and 32 RBIs. He was named an MiLB.com Organization All-Star.
Knapp started 2015 with Clearwater. He was an All-Star there. Later, he moved up to the Reading Fightin Phils. He hit .308 with 13 home runs and 84 RBIs across both teams. For his great playing in 2015, he won the Paul Owens Award. This award goes to the Phillies' best minor league player each year.
In 2016, Knapp played for the Lehigh Valley IronPigs. His hitting wasn't as strong that year. However, he greatly improved his defense. At the time, defense was an area he needed to work on to reach the major leagues. He finished the season with a .266 batting average, eight home runs, and 46 RBIs. He was also an International League All-Star. After the season, he played in the Dominican Winter League.
Playing in Major League Baseball
The Phillies added Knapp to their main roster after the 2016 season. He made the Phillies' 2017 Opening Day roster. He spent the whole season as a backup catcher to Cameron Rupp. The Phillies were waiting for another promising player, Jorge Alfaro, to join the team. As the year went on, Knapp played more often. He batted .257 with three home runs and 13 RBIs in 56 games. He also threw out 20 percent of players trying to steal bases.
After the 2016 season, Andrew changed his jersey number. He switched from number 34 to 15. Number 34 was worn by former Phillies pitcher Roy Halladay, who had passed away. Knapp wore number 15 in college, and he changed it to honor Halladay.
Knapp again competed for the backup catcher spot in 2018. He made the opening day roster as a backup to Alfaro. He even started his first career opening day game. On July 1, 2018, Knapp hit a walk-off home run. This was a game-winning hit in the 13th inning against the Washington Nationals. Even though his overall hitting was low (.198 batting average), the team valued his defense and how well he managed games. They also liked his ability to get on base.
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Before the 2019 season, the Phillies got J. T. Realmuto. This trade involved sending Alfaro to another team. This made it clear that Knapp would be the backup catcher. He continued in this role for the season. He still struggled with hitting, but the Phillies were happy with him as Realmuto's backup. In 2019, he batted .213 with two home runs and eight RBIs. He ended the season well, hitting .290 in his last nine games. He also threw out a career-best 29 percent of base stealers.
In 2020, Knapp was expected to continue as Realmuto's backup. The season started later in July due to the COVID-19 pandemic. During this shorter season, all teams used a designated hitter (DH). This meant Knapp played more often. Realmuto could be the DH sometimes, which gave him a break from catching every day. Knapp played in 33 of 60 games. He hit a career-best .278 with two home runs and 15 RBIs. Some even called him the best backup catcher in baseball. In August, the Phillies retired the number of Dick Allen. Knapp changed his number again, from 15 to 7.
Knapp was ready to be Realmuto's backup again in 2021. There was some doubt if Realmuto would re-sign or be ready after a thumb injury. So, Knapp prepared to play more. In his first time at bat on April 4, Knapp hit the Phillies' first home run of the season.
In the 2021 season, he had his lowest batting average, .152. His hitting performance was among the lowest for catchers. He also struck out more often than before. He only threw out 2 of 22 players trying to steal bases. On November 5, 2021, the Phillies removed Knapp from their main roster, and he became a free agent.
Moving to Other Teams
On December 1, 2021, Knapp signed a minor league contract with the Cincinnati Reds. However, the Reds released him on April 5, 2022.
The same day, April 5, 2022, Knapp signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He joined them as a backup catcher. Knapp played in 11 games for the Pirates. He had no home runs and 2 RBIs. The Pirates removed him from their roster on May 16. He then chose to become a free agent on May 19, 2022.
On May 21, 2022, Knapp signed a minor league contract with the Seattle Mariners. He played for the Tacoma Rainiers, a Triple-A team. On June 27, the Mariners called him up to be the backup catcher for Cal Raleigh. On July 9, 2022, Knapp was removed from the Mariners' roster. He was released on July 13.
On July 22, 2022, Knapp signed a minor league deal with the San Francisco Giants. He played well for their Triple-A team, the Sacramento River Cats. On August 31, the Giants brought him up to the main team. Knapp was removed from the Giants' roster again on September 6. He then went back to the Sacramento River Cats. He became a free agent after the season on October 6.
On December 23, 2022, Knapp signed a minor league deal with the Detroit Tigers. He played 70 games for the Triple–A Toledo Mud Hens. He batted .253 with 6 home runs and 25 RBI. On August 9, 2023, the Tigers released him.
On August 16, 2023, Knapp signed a minor league contract with the Houston Astros. He played 23 games for the Triple–A Sugar Land Space Cowboys. He hit 3 home runs and had 4 RBI. Knapp became a free agent after the season on November 6.
On December 27, 2023, Knapp signed a minor league contract with the Texas Rangers. In 60 games for the Triple–A Round Rock Express, he batted .292 with six home runs and 30 RBI. On July 1, 2024, Knapp left his contract with the Rangers. He re-signed with them on a new minor league contract on July 12. However, he was released again on August 22.
Second Time with the San Francisco Giants
On August 23, 2024, Knapp signed a one-year contract to play for the San Francisco Giants again. He played in 3 games for the Giants. On August 29, the Giants removed him from their roster. He then went back to the Triple–A Sacramento River Cats. Knapp became a free agent on October 1.
On January 20, 2025, Andrew Knapp announced that he was retiring from professional baseball.
Andrew Knapp's Player Profile
Even though Andrew Knapp had great statistics in the minor leagues, he was mostly seen as a backup catcher in the major leagues. This was mainly because he struggled with hitting at the highest level. However, Knapp quickly became known for his strong defense and how well he worked with pitchers. Pitchers often performed better when Knapp was catching. Over time, Knapp also improved his ability to get on base, especially by drawing walks and striking out less, until 2021.
For several seasons, Knapp often started games when Zach Eflin was pitching. Knapp and Eflin had played together since Double-A. They had a strong connection, and Eflin's pitching was noticeably better with Knapp behind the plate. Knapp was also seen as a leader in the Phillies' clubhouse. His teammates, including Bryce Harper, respected him. Harper once said that Knapp was "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."
Andrew Knapp's Personal Life
Andrew Knapp married Hannah Hughes in November 2018. His father, Mike Knapp, played minor league baseball for 11 years. Andrew's brother, Aaron Knapp, also played baseball. Aaron was drafted by the Miami Marlins in 2016. He played as high as the Triple-A level for the Seattle Mariners organization. Aaron last played in 2019.
