Red Sox Sign Veteran Catcher to Minor League Deal
The Boston Red Sox are building out some veteran depth at an interesting position, signing catcher Andrew Knizner to a minor league contract.
Knizner, who is having a strong season in Triple-A, was released by the Colorado Rockies over the weekend after triggering an opt-out clause. The 31-year-old had originally signed a one-year, $1 million deal with the Seattle Mariners in the offseason but was unable to crack the Opening Day roster.
The deal, which was first reported by MassLive's Chris Cotillo, could foreshadow a future move for the struggling ball club. Manager Chad Tracy has juggled a rotation of Mickey Gasper, Carlos Narváez, and Connor Wong behind the plate since Gasper's call-up in early May, so the addition of Knizner appears redundant on face value.
Sources: Red Sox have signed veteran catcher Andrew Knizner to a minor league deal.
— Chris Cotillo (@ChrisCotillo) June 23, 2026
Knizner has hit well for Colorado's Triple-A affiliate the Albuquerque Isotopes, batting .279 with a .961 OPS and 10 homers in just 33 games, but has yet to play in a major league game this year. Across his seven-year big league career, the righty swinging catcher has slashed a modest .211/.281/.313 with 19 home runs, logging his first five seasons as the backup for Yadier Molina in St. Louis before doing a stint with the Rangers and the Giants in 2023 and 2024.
Andrew Knizner does it AGAIN! His seventh home run since May 23, and fourth of this series. What a surge for Kizz at the plate!!!
— Albuquerque Isotopes (@ABQTopes) June 8, 2026
T5: Isotopes 7, Bees 5 pic.twitter.com/fn40vyWBal
With Knizner slated to get his start with the organization at the Triple-A level for Worcester, it will be interesting to see if his addition signals an upcoming change at the big-league level. Boston has become increasingly comfortable using the switch-hitting Gasper as the primary catcher, specifically using him as a lefty bat when facing a right-handed pitcher.
Narváez, who has struggled mightily at the plate batting just .197 with a .553 OPS in 44 games, is still the best defensive option. The seemingly disgruntled 27-year-old has been outspoken about the "unexpected" dip in his playing time, telling Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic that he is not sure what changed after his strong rookie year in 2025.
The clear odd man out in this crowded catching arrangement is Wong, who has turned in significantly better results at the plate this season (.256 average, .698 OPS) compared to last but is still a below average hitter. And at 30-years-old, he has less upside than fellow righty backstop Narváez.
With the introduction of Gasper, Wong's only consistent playing time comes when Sonny Gray is on the mound, as the pair have been excellent when working together. At the start of June, McCaffrey reported that the Red Sox are shopping Wong in the trade market.
Whether Boston is still dangling the veteran catcher and sees a potential deal on the horizon or if they just like what they have seen from Knizner in the minors, it is certainly an eyebrow-raising move from a team that is already dealing with a surplus at the position.
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This story was originally published June 23, 2026 at 2:45 PM.