Grant Knipp Stats & Scouting Report

Full name Grant Alexander Knipp
Born 11/29/2001 in Louisville, KY
Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 220 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Campbell
Drafted in the 6th round (183rd overall) by the Seattle Mariners in 2024 (signed for $275,000).

View Draft Report

School: Campbell
Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
Age at Draft: 22.6

Knipp was a notable pop-up name in the 2024 draft class thanks to his excellent offensive performance and huge arm strength. A catcher and righthander with a 6-foot-2, 230-pound frame, Knipp slashed .446/.583/.1.133 with 16 home runs through his first 24 games with Campbell after two fairly pedestrian efforts in 2022 and 2023. Scouts are skeptical about the true hitting ability that Knipp offers considering his lack of track record outside of this spring, but analytically inclined teams will be excited about his performance as a junior as well as his loud batted ball data. If he is a hitter he might have to move to first base. Many scouts prefer Knipp as a pitcher. He hasn’t thrown much but he has a mid-90s fastball that gets up to 97-98 and throws a slurvy breaking ball in the low 80s.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

BA Grade/Risk: 45/High.

Track Record: Knipp had a successful career at Campbell as the starting catcher. However, he picked up pitching in his senior season, adding enough intrigue to his profile to be drafted by the Mariners in the sixth round in 2024. Reportedly, the Mariners plan to use him as a two-way player in pro ball.

Scouting Report: On the mound, Knipp pitches off of a straight 93-96 mph fastball with downhill angle. He pairs it with a power, two-plane 81-84 mph curveball. He was around the zone quite a bit in his small pitching sample, especially for how little mound experience he had. Offensively, Knipp’s calling card is plus raw power. He uses a grooved swing without a ton of adjustability, meaning that he lacks the plate coverage to get to balls down or away. He offsets it somewhat with his above-average plate discipline. Behind the plate, he has a plus-plus arm. However, he struggles to throw out opposing basestealers because he has a slower transfer and often airmails his throws. Knipp also is rough in the receiving and blocking departments. He has an awkward, heavy gait, but his top speed is respectable despite poor acceleration.

The Future: Knipp is an interesting player to project. He doesn’t have a clearly defined role as either a hitter or a pitcher, but there’s enough potential in both to squint to see some sort of path to an MLB roster. The added intrigue comes if he can survive as a team’s middle reliever and backup catcher. He will likely spend most of 2025 in the Low-A California League.

Scouting Grades: Hit: 30 | Power: 60 | Run: 40 | Field: 40 | Arm: 70 | Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 55 | Control: 50 |

Draft Prospects

School: Campbell Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 22.6
Knipp was a notable pop-up name in the 2024 draft class thanks to his excellent offensive performance and huge arm strength. A catcher and righthander with a 6-foot-2, 230-pound frame, Knipp slashed .446/.583/.1.133 with 16 home runs through his first 24 games with Campbell after two fairly pedestrian efforts in 2022 and 2023. Scouts are skeptical about the true hitting ability that Knipp offers considering his lack of track record outside of this spring, but analytically inclined teams will be excited about his performance as a junior as well as his loud batted ball data. If he is a hitter he might have to move to first base. Many scouts prefer Knipp as a pitcher. He hasn’t thrown much but he has a mid-90s fastball that gets up to 97-98 and throws a slurvy breaking ball in the low 80s.