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 at 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 sides of the plate. Knapp moved up through the Phillies' minor league teams over four seasons. In 2015, he won an award for being the best minor league player in the Phillies' organization. He made his MLB debut in 2017. For five seasons, he was the team's main backup catcher.
Contents
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 also a minor league catcher. As a child, Andrew traveled a lot with his dad's baseball career. By age five, he had visited 38 states!
Andrew's mom suggested he try hitting left-handed. This helped him become a switch hitter. It was a good idea because his dad, a right-handed hitter, never made it to the major leagues.
After high school, the Oakland Athletics drafted Andrew in 2010. But he decided not to sign with them. Instead, he chose to play college baseball at the University of California, Berkeley. He played in the Pac-12 Conference.
Andrew had a tough start in his first two college seasons. But in his junior year, he became a full-time catcher. That season, he was one of the best hitters in his conference. He hit for a .350 batting average. He also hit eight home runs.
Over three college seasons, Andrew hit .294. He had 14 home runs and 82 runs batted in (RBIs). In 2012, he played summer baseball for the Chatham Anglers. He was named a league all-star. Scouts thought he could be a good hitter and defender in the pros.
Professional Baseball Career
Philadelphia Phillies
Minor League Journey
The Philadelphia Phillies drafted Andrew Knapp in the second round of the 2013 MLB draft. He signed with the Phillies for a signing bonus of over $1 million. He started his professional career with the Williamsport Crosscutters. There, he hit .253 with 20 doubles and four home runs.
In 2014, he played for the Lakewood BlueClaws and Clearwater Threshers. He hit .260 with six home runs. In 2015, he started with Clearwater and then moved up to the Reading Fightin Phils. That year, he had a great season. He hit .308 with 13 home runs and 84 RBIs. For his excellent play, he won the Paul Owens Award. This award goes to the Phillies' best minor league player each year.
In 2016, Andrew played for the Lehigh Valley IronPigs. His hitting wasn't as strong, but his defense got much better. He finished the season hitting .266 with eight home runs. He was also named an International League All-Star. After the season, he played in the Dominican Winter League.
Major League Debut
The Phillies added Andrew 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. As the season went on, he played more often. He hit .257 with three home runs and 13 RBIs. He also threw out 20 percent of runners trying to steal bases.
After the 2017 season, Andrew changed his jersey number. He switched from number 34 to 15. He did this to honor former Phillies pitcher Roy Halladay, who had worn number 34. Number 15 was the number Andrew wore in college.
In 2018, Andrew was again the backup catcher, this time to Jorge Alfaro. He even made his first career Opening Day start. On July 1, 2018, Andrew hit a walk-off home run in the 13th inning against the Washington Nationals. This means his home run won the game for the Phillies. Even though his hitting average was .198, the team valued his defense. They also liked his ability to manage games and get on base.
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Before the 2019 season, the Phillies got J. T. Realmuto. This meant Andrew would continue as the team's backup catcher. He kept working hard on his defense. He threw out a career-best 29 percent of attempted base stealers.
In 2020, the baseball season was shorter due to the COVID-19 pandemic. All teams used a designated hitter (DH). This allowed Andrew to play more often. Realmuto could be the DH sometimes, giving him a break from catching. Andrew played in 33 of 60 games. He hit a career-best .278 with two home runs. Some even called him the best backup catcher in baseball! In August, he changed his number again, from 15 to 7. This was to honor Dick Allen, whose number 15 was retired by the Phillies.
Andrew started 2021 ready to be Realmuto's backup again. In his first at-bat of the season, on April 4, he hit the Phillies' first home run of the year. However, his hitting struggled that season. He hit a career-low .152. On November 5, 2021, the Phillies let Andrew go, and he became a free agent.
Other MLB Teams
After leaving the Phillies, Andrew Knapp signed with the Cincinnati Reds in December 2021. But he was released by them in April 2022.
On the same day, he signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He played in 11 games for the Pirates before being let go in May 2022.
Next, Andrew signed with the Seattle Mariners in May 2022. He played for their Triple-A team, the Tacoma Rainiers. In June, he was called up to the Mariners to be a backup catcher. He was released by the Mariners in July.
In July 2022, Andrew signed with the San Francisco Giants. He played well for their Triple-A team, the Sacramento River Cats. He hit .312 with them. He was called up to the Giants in August but was later sent back to Triple-A.
Andrew signed with the Detroit Tigers in December 2022. He played 70 games for their Triple-A team, the Toledo Mud Hens. He hit .253 with 6 home runs. The Tigers released him in August 2023.
He then signed with the Houston Astros in August 2023. He played for their Triple-A team, the Sugar Land Space Cowboys.
In December 2023, Andrew signed with the Texas Rangers. He played 60 games for their Triple-A team, the Round Rock Express. He hit .292 with six home runs. He was released by the Rangers in August 2024.
Andrew signed a second time with the San Francisco Giants in August 2024. He played in 3 games for them. He was later sent back to the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats. On January 20, 2025, Andrew Knapp announced he was retiring from professional baseball.
Player Skills
Even though Andrew Knapp had great stats 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, he became known as a strong defender and a good game caller. Pitchers often trusted him and performed better when he was catching.
Andrew and pitcher Zach Eflin worked together since their Double-A days. They had a strong connection, and Eflin often pitched better with Knapp behind the plate. Andrew was also seen as a leader in the clubhouse. His teammates, like Bryce Harper, respected his skills. 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."
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.
Images for kids
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Andrew Knapp playing in 2021
