Diamondbacks Claim Catcher Andrew Knizner, DFA Luis Frias

The D-backs claim a veteran catcher off waivers, and part with one of their former major league relievers.

Jul 6, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers catcher Andrew Knizner (12) in action during the game between the Texas Rangers and the Tampa Bay Rays at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports / Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

According to the team, the Arizona Diamondbacks have claimed veteran catcher Andrew Knizner off waivers from the Texas Rangers. In a corresponding move, right-hander Luis Frias was designated for assignment.

Knizner, 29, spent the first five years of his major league career with the St. Louis Cardinals, before seeing limited action with the Rangers in 2024. He'll report to Triple-A Reno for the time being.

Knizner is a light hitter, with a career .596 OPS. He's in the midst of his weakest season at the plate, slashing only .167/.183/.211, good for just a .394 OPS. He has one double and one walk and has only appeared in 37 games.

He provides little value offensively, and not much more on the defensive side, although he is regarded a plus framer by Statcast.

Of course, the glaring question that this move raises surrounds young stud catcher Gabriel Moreno. Moreno was in the midst of a hot streak before a left adductor strain took him out of Tuesday's game. Moreno was later placed on the 10-day IL as he continues to be evaluated.

The D-backs did call up young catching prospect Adrian Del Castillo, who doubled, walked and drove in a run in his debut on Wednesday. Del Castillo figures to tandem with de facto starter Jose Herrera until Moreno can make his return.

As of now, there is no official word that Moreno's injury is more severe than expected. It's possible the D-backs are simply looking to add emergency catching depth to the farm in the event that something happens to Herrera or Del Castillo, but it could signal bad news about their starting catcher.

Diamondbacks On SI will continue to monitor Moreno's situation, and provide updates from manager Torey Lovullo as they surface.

Luis Frias will all but end his D-backs tenure here. It hasn't been much of a 2024, as the righty only appeared in seven games, before landing on the IL with shoulder inflammation in mid-April. He pitched to a rough 9.95 ERA over onl 6 1/3 major league innings this year.

Once activated off the IL, he was immediately sent to Triple-A, where he's pitched to a more respectable 4.68 ERA in an extremely offense-heavy PCL.

It's been an up-and-down career for Frias, spending parts of four seasons with the D-backs. Despite boasting an impressive arsenal and good stuff, he struggled to avoid walks and limit base traffic, and never truly came into his own.

He never pitched more than 31 innings in a season, those coming in 2023, where he had a solid, although not particularly great year, pitching to a 4.06 ERA, but never became a staple of this Arizona bullpen.