We are a mere month away from Pitcher’s & Catcher’s reporting. While the 2023 World Series Champion Texas Rangers haven’t officially announced an exact date, it should be between February 13th and February 15th. The squad’s first spring training game will be on February 23rd at Surprise Stadium in Surprise, Arizona, against the Kansas City Royals. There will be many new faces in Surprise this year. Among them is veteran catcher Andrew Knizner. The Rangers signed a one-year $1.825 million contract on January 11th. The twenty-nine-year-old Virginia native and North Carolina State University alum who was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in 2016. He made his Major League debut with the Cardinals in 2019 and remained there until this off-season.
The Rangers need another veteran behind the plate to fill Mitch Garver’s shoes as he departs for Seattle. While Jonah Heim is a beast in front of and behind the plate, he is not invincible, and Sam Huff is still being prepared to fill the shoes left behind by Garver as a catcher or a potential designated hitter. During the 2023 season, Knizner had a .241 batting average with ten home runs, thirty-one RBIs, and two stolen bases in his 224 at-bats. Comparatively, Heim ended the regular season with a .258 average, eighteen home runs, ninety-five RBIs, and two stolen bases in 457. Knizner’s stats rival Heim’s, which will come in handy as the season progresses and give Heim a well-deserved rest every now and again. The Rangers plan to defend the World Series title in 2024, and Andrew Knizner appears to be a great addition to the squad. Only time will tell if the acquisition will help or hinder the team’s return to the Fall Classic.
