SF Giants bolster catching depth by adding former Cardinals backstop on minor league deal

The Sacramento River Cats had a new face in the lineup on Wednesday. Former St. Louis Cardinals catcher and veteran backstop Andrew Knizner has joined the organization on a minor league deal, per the team's transaction log.

SF Giants bolster catching depth by adding former Cardinals backstop on minor league deal

Knizner wasted no time in introducing himself to Sacramento, as he recorded three hits, including two doubles, with three RBI in five at-bats in a 8-1 win over the Oklahoma City Comets. He began the season with the Washington Nationals' Triple-A affiliate, but exercised his opt-out clause earlier this week.

This move feels like it could be a precursor to another one. Sacramento's roster already has two catchers on it, with Max Stassi and Logan Porter. Stassi finished the season on the Chicago White Sox's 40-man roster, even though he did not play an inning with the club.

When he joined the Giants on a minor league deal in the offseason, it came with a few automatic opt-out dates. He did not exercise his opt-out for the first couple of dates, but another one is coming up on June 1. If he does exercise it, he would become a free agent if the Giants do not add him to the 40-man roster.

If the Giants decide to add Stassi, it could bump current Giants backup catcher Sam Huff off the roster. That could be resolved in a week. This may all be a moot point, as Stassi has only appeared in one game since returning from the injured list.

For now, Knizner will bring a good bit of experience behind the plate and some offensive upside to the River Cats.

The right-handed bat has posted an .821 OPS in parts of four seasons in Triple-A. This includes a 1.016 OPS with the Nationals' Triple-A club earlier this season before he opted out.

Knizner also has a good bit of experience in the majors, most notably with the Cardinals. He has a .596 OPS with no strong platoon splits across six major league seasons. Knizner did have a quality season with the Cardinals in 2023, where he recorded a .712 OPS with 10 home runs and 31 RBI in 241 plate appearances.

Behind the plate, the 30-year-old backstop does not offer much defensive value. At times, he can be an adequate pitch framer, but he is not considered a good blocker nor does he have good pop times. For now, he will handle the catching duties in Sacramento along with Logan Porter and Max Stassi.