How are the Cardinals non-tendered players doing elsewhere?

C Andrew Knizner - Texas Rangers

Of all the non-tendered players, Andrew Knizner was the one whom most fans questioned. The veteran catcher had a strong rapport with the pitching staff, something that was missing after Yadier Molina departed for retirement. Despite well-below-average career batting numbers, he seemed to have tapped into something in 2023 when he finished with a 92 OPS+ in 241 plate appearances.

Knizner signed a 1-year, $1.825 million deal to be the Texas Rangers backup catcher. He would slot in behind All-Star and Gold Glove recipient Jonah Heim on the depth chart.

Andrew Knizner's 2024 season has been abysmal so far. He has a .125/.125/.219 slash line in 32 plate appearances, and he has struck out 8 times. That makes for a -4 OPS+ For those who are uninitiated to OPS+, 100 is league average. Knizner has been so bad offensively that he has a negative score.

Knizner's offensive struggles are primarily due to his non-existent walk rate. He's barreling the ball at a slightly above-average rate, but his average launch angle is straight into the ground. He has not been making solid contact with the ball.

Knizner was never known for his defense, but he seems to have reached a new low. His blocking, caught stealing, and framing rates are all below average; only his pop time is better than 50% of catchers.

Knizner would have been excess on the Cardinals roster given Ivan Herrera's ascension. His performance in the first month-plus of the season has not made the front office regret their decision to let the 29-year-old backstop leave one bit.