Inside The Cardinals

Rangers Add Cardinals Free Agent To Replace Star After 19-Home Run Season

The backstop will have some big shoes to fill

Scott Neville

Rangers Add Cardinals Free Agent To Replace Star After 19-Home Run Season
Rangers Add Cardinals Free Agent To Replace Star After 19-Home Run Season /
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The St. Louis Cardinals made wholesale changes across their depth this winter in an attempt to revamp the roster after a last-place finish in the National League Central a year ago.

In doing so, they parted ways with some quality players that could make an impact elsewhere.

One of the bigger surprise non-tender candidates just signed with the reigning World Series champions and will replace a premier player at his position.

The Texas Rangers signed catcher Andrew Knizner to a one-year, $1.825 million contract according to the New York Post's Jon Heyman on Thursday. 

Knizner hit .241 with 21 extra-base hits including 10 home runs, 31 RBIs and a .712 OPS (92 OPS+) in 70 games last season. 

The homegrown Cardinals backstop appeared to just be coming into his own before being non-tendered -- which saved St. Louis a marginal amount of money but more importantly paved the way for prospect Iván Herrera to make the Opening Day roster. 

Now Knizner will replace fellow backstop Mitch Garver, who hit .270 with 30 extra-base hits including 19 home runs, 50 RBI and a .870 OPS (134 OPS+) in 87 games a year ago.

Texas would be foolish to expect similar offensive production from Knizner. The Rangers likely will lean on Gold Glove catcher Jonah Heim much more next season with Knizner as more of a prototypical backup. 

More MLB: White Sox Reportedly Sign Cardinals Free Agent, Ending Reunion Hopes

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Scott Neville
SCOTT NEVILLE

Scott Neville covers the St. Louis Cardinals for FanNation's "Inside The Cardinals" on Sports Illustrated. Before starting "Inside The Cardinals", Neville attended Merrimack College, where he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Communication and Media with a minor in Marketing. Neville spent all four years with Merrimack's radio station WMCK, where he grew as a radio/podcast host and producer. His propensity for being in front of a microphone eventually expanded to film, where he produced multiple short films alongside his then-roommate and current co-worker Stephen Mottram. On a journey that began as a way to receive easy credits via film classes, he received a call from "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia" star Charlie Day. Day advised him to make a feature-length film, which he completed his senior year. While writing the film, Neville completed an internship for United Way as part of their NFL Partnership Program. Neville ran the blog for a team of interns and hosted an internet show called "United Way's NFL Partnership Series" where he interviewed NFL alumni. After college Neville wrote for SB Nation's "Over The Monster," a Red Sox sister site of the flagship brand. His work would eventually lead him to a job as a content producer with NESN, where he would cover all sports. After developing as a writer with the top regional network in the world, he was given the opportunity to join FanNation and the Sports Illustrated Media Group as the publisher of "Inside The Red Sox."  After a few months as the top Major League Baseball site in the program, Neville sought expansion and pitched "Inside The Cardinals," one of the newest additions to FanNation and the Sports Illustrated Media Group. The successful launch and quick rise of "Inside The Cardinals" led to Neville joining the Baseball Essential ownership group, a national baseball site under SIMG. Follow him on Twitter: @ScottNeville46 Email: nevilles@merrimack.edu