The Washington Nationals are reportedly releasing catcher Andrew Knizner, per Robert Murray of FanSided.

“The Nationals are releasing catcher Andrew Knizner based on the opt-out in his contract, source says. Knizner, who is hitting .382/.516/.500/1.016 in Triple-A, had a 184 wRC+ that was second in all of AAA (minimum of 75 plate appearances). He appears to be a strong candidate for a major-league contract based on his performance and teams needing veteran catching.”

Knizner, 30, made his MLB debut in 2019 with the St. Louis Cardinals. He was an intriguing prospect with St. Louis but struggled to find success at the big-league level. He played in St. Louis until 2023 before joining the Texas Rangers in 2024.

The veteran catcher struggled with the Rangers, though, slashing just .167/.183/.211 across 35 games played. Knizner ended up landing a minor-league contract with the Nationals this past offseason. As Murray mentioned, Knizner has swung the bat well at the Triple-A level this season, hitting .382 with a 1.016 OPS in 23 games played.

He undoubtedly will receive interest from around the league in MLB free agency. It will be intriguing to see if Knizner is offered any big-league contracts.

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Nationals are struggling to stay relevant

The Nationals are currently 19-27 overall so far in the 2025 campaign. They have yet to find success, but Washington could still potentially make a National League Wild Card run. The Nationals could make moves before the trade deadline in July as well.

Washington has been rebuilding for the past few years. The roster features plenty of young talent, though. The Nationals have also added impactful players in recent seasons. This is not a championship contender yet, but the ball club is trending in an encouraging direction.

The Nationals' next game will be played on Saturday afternoon against the Baltimore Orioles. First pitch is scheduled for 4:05 PM EST in Baltimore.