While the current roster of Philadelphia Phillies players is just weeks away from starting spring training in Clearwater, a name from the past emerged this past weekend that will take fans back to a time before this current competitive window. On Sunday, former Phillies catcher Andrew Knapp announced his retirement from professional baseball in a heartfelt post on Instagram.
Knapp was the Phillies' second-round draft pick in 2013 and rose as high as No. 9 in the organization's MLB Pipeline prospect rankings in 2016. Now 33, Knapp made his MLB debut with the Phillies in 2017 as a 25-year-old.
Former Phillies catcher Andrew Knapp announces retirement with heartfelt message
"Every ball players career has to come to an end at some point and now is my time to hang em up. God has blessed me with an amazing career and I feel so grateful to have gotten to play for as long as I have," Knapp began his message.
The Roseville, California native served as the Phillies' backup catcher for five seasons, from 2017 through 2021, with his best season coming in the shortened 2020 campaign. The switch hitter batted a career-high .278 with an .849 OPS in just 89 plate appearances over 33 games.
In his 309 games in a Phillies uniform, Knapp compiled a .214/.314/.322 slash line with 13 home runs and 62 RBI. He went to free agency after the 2021 season and signed with the Cincinnati Reds. Over the following two years, Knapp was well-traveled and spent time with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Seattle Mariners, San Francisco Giants, Detroit Tigers, Houston Astros and Texas Rangers organizations.
Knapp's father, Mike, played 11 years in the minors, and Knapp credits his career to his early exposure to the game through his dad's career.
"Ever since I can remember I wanted to be a professional baseball player. Some of my earliest memories are at the ballpark and in the clubhouses with my dad and his teammates. I completely dedicated my life to the game, and the game blessed me with so much. Baseball has given me relationships that I will have for the rest of my life. It has taught be how to fail and how to persevere. It has taught me how to be confident but humble. It has taught me that people will remember you more because of what kind of person you are rather than what kind of player you were."
It was just last offseason that Knapp caught on with the defending World Series champion Rangers on a minor league deal. He was released in August after 81 games in Triple-A and signed with the Giants for the second time in his career. He got one final kick at the can in San Francisco, appearing in three games, registering a hit and a pair of RBI in four at-bats.
Despite his many stops after leaving Philadelphia, he spent most of his time plying his trade in the minors, appearing in just 19 MLB games. Knapp finishes his MLB career with a .209/.309/.312 slash line, 13 home runs and 66 RBI in 328 games over parts of seven seasons.
During his time with the Phillies, Knapp played with some of the team's current stars, including Aaron Nola, Zack Wheeler, Bryce Harper and J.T. Realmuto. He helped the Phillies with one of their 12 walk-off wins early in his final season in Philadelphia.
"I’ve been extremely lucky to have played with so many incredible teammates throughout my career. I know that one of the things I will miss the most is being around my teammates. I really took pride in being a great teammate, bringing out the best in everyone around me, and trying to help the team in any way I could. There’s a special bond between the guys in the clubhouse, and I’m thankful for every teammate I have had at every level throughout baseball."
You can read the rest of Knapp's message on his Instagram post. We wish him the best in retirement.