The Seattle Mariners are nearing the completion of a new signing, reportedly bringing in catcher Andrew Knizner on a major league deal, as confirmed by Daniel Kramer of MLB.com. Knizner, who will turn 31 during the 2026 season, is expected to receive a contract close to the league minimum that will also allow the team to option him, even though he has surpassed his initial minor league options over the last seven seasons with organizations like the St. Louis Cardinals, Texas Rangers, and San Francisco Giants.
Throughout his career, Knizner has posted a .211/.281/.316 batting line with a 68 wRC+. His contributions to his teams have not been particularly impactful, with a career fWAR of -1.7 over 326 games and 975 plate appearances. While some metrics from sources like Baseball Reference rate him as a 1.0 WAR player, his overall defensive performance has been less than stellar compared to his peers, leaving questions about his viability as a reliable backup catcher.
Originally drafted in the 7th round in 2016, Knizner demonstrated strong potential during his college career at NC State, eventually transitioning from third base to catcher. He garnered significant attention in the St. Louis system, ranking on several prospect lists, including being named 82nd by FanGraphs in 2019. There were expectations for him to eventually take over the starting role from veteran Yadier Molina after making his big league debut in 2019. However, despite these high hopes, Knizner faced challenges in securing a consistent spot on the roster, often filling a backup role.
In 2023, he had an opportunity to step into a more prominent position when Willson Contreras briefly shifted away from catching duties. Nevertheless, his offensive production could not compensate for a noticeable gap in his defensive skills, particularly in framing, blocking, and controlling base runners. Although some improvement has been observed since leaving Molina’s influence, the Mariners’ interest in signing Knizner for a major league contract raises eyebrows, especially considering his recent struggles.
Knizner’s past potential and hard-hitting ability draw parallels to players like Mitch Garver, with Mariners management possibly seeing room for improvement in his performance that could align with their needs for left-handed hitting backup catchers—an area they have sought to reinforce. If Knizner can tap into the skills that once made him a promising prospect, he may yet find a way to contribute positively to the Mariners’ roster. His upcoming season will be pivotal in determining his role within the team and whether he can carve out a meaningful place as a backup catcher in the big leagues.