Andrew Knapp

Being J.T. Realmuto's backup is a pretty easy job. Realmuto led all catchers with 130 starts behind the plate, leaving little work for Knapp, who received just 160 plate appearances on the season. He didn't do much with his sporadic playing time, hitting just .213/.318/.324 with two homers. To be fair to the 28-year-old, it's hard to get into a rhythm with so little playing time, so he might be expected to hitter better if given more at-bats, but he's a far cry from an offensive weapon. He's graded out as a below-average defender over his three-year career as well, meaning he offers very little even in a backup role. If injuries do open up a starting job, Knapp would be worth a look in deep leagues as he's not a total zero at the plate, but there's little reason to be interested until then.

After posting a solid (for a catcher) .257/.368/.368 line in his rookie campaign, Knapp regressed across the board in 2018, hitting just .198/.294/.316 in 215 PA. The main culprit was a spike in his strikeout rate, which rose to an untenable 34.9% after sitting at 27.5% in 2017. Knapp's role diminished along with his performance, going from a 50-50 split with Jorge Alfaro to the clear No. 2 and eventually a minor-league demotion after the Phillies acquired Wilson Ramos at the trade deadline. Chances are, Knapp will spend most of 2019 as the backup behind the plate, a role he should be able to perform capably enough in given the low offensive standards for the position. There is a chance that he can provide a useful batting average should he find his way into a larger role, but the ceiling is low enough that he can safely be ignored in most formats.

Knapp had a decent rookie season as the Phillies' backup catcher. His 95 wRC+ ranked 20th among catchers with at least 200 plate appearances, 13 spots higher than starter Cameron Rupp. On most teams, that would be enough to give Knapp a good shot at taking the starting job next season, but the emergence of the younger and more talented Jorge Alfaro means Knapp's roster spot may be in jeopardy. Alfaro looks to be in line for the starting job after hitting .318/.360/.514 in 29 games, leaving Knapp and Rupp to fight for the backup job. Both have proven themselves to be capable major leaguers, so it's possible a trade may be in the works. If he ends up in a favorable situation, Knapp could provide close to average catcher value, especially in OBP leagues, as his .368 on-base percentage is much more of an asset than his .368 slugging percentage or his three home runs.

Knapp opened eyes in 2015 after slashing .360/.419/.631 with 11 home runs in 214 at-bats at Double-A. That performance and the presence of fellow catching prospect Jorge Alfaro were enough to get Knapp promoted to Triple-A in 2016. That proved to be more of a challenge. The switch-hitting Knapp struggled against righties, hitting just .258 with a .684 OPS, but was solid against lefties with a .277 average and .772 OPS. He saw his strikeout rate jump from 17.8 percent at Double-A to 24.2 percent last season. The Phillies brought in Bryan Holaday to serve as Cameron Rupp's backup in 2017, giving Knapp and Alfaro more time to work in the upper levels of the minors. He could be pushed to first base or a corner outfield spot this year as Alfaro will likely be moved up to Triple-A to continue his development as a hitter. Of course if one of Alfaro or Knapp is forcing the issue, the team would likely send Holaday to Triple-A and begin the youth movement behind the dish.

Knapp, a second-round pick in 2013, opened last season at High-A Clearwater and was promoted to Double-A Reading in late June after slashing .262/.356/.369 with two home runs. He really took off after his promotion, slashing .360/.419/.631 with 11 home runs in 214 at-bats at Reading. He obviously can't sustain that pace, but he is showing skill growth, which should allow him to remain successful as he advances. Knapp also cut his strikeout rate from 22.4% at Clearwater to 17.8% at Reading. His walk rate dipped slightly, but his BB/K ratio has improved thanks to the reduction in strikeouts. There have been questions about Knapp's ability to stick behind the plate, but recent reports suggest that he is showing enough improvement there that a position change not on the radar, though the Phillies have two solid catching prospects in Knapp and Jorge Alfaro. Knapp will likely make it to the majors first, perhaps as soon as 2016, but it remains to be seen which of the two will be the long term answer behind the dish for the Phils.

Knapp, a second-round pick in 2013, got a late start to his season last year while he finished up his recovery from offseason Tommy John surgery. He was initially assigned to High-A Clearwater where he started off slow at the plate. The Phillies opted to move him down a level and he went on to hit .290/.354/.438 with five home runs for Low-A Lakewood. The Phillies believe Knapp could move quickly through their system. He'll likely open the year at Clearwater and could be moved up to Double-A by midseason if he gets off to a good start at the plate.