Mitch Garver to sign with Mariners: Seattle inks two-year, $24 million deal with veteran catcher, per report

The World Series champion has a new deal

According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, free-agent catcher/designated hitter Mitch Garver has signed a two-year contract worth $24 million with the Seattle Mariners.

Heading into his age-33 season, Garver brings a reputation as a power hitter who can slot into the middle of the batting order and also provide catching services if necessary. However, injuries have plagued his MLB career, with only one season where he appeared in over 100 games (102 in 2018). In 2022, a forearm injury requiring surgery limited him to 54 games, while last season, he battled foot and knee injuries. Despite the setbacks, Garver managed to play in 87 regular-season games and 14 playoff games.

When healthy, Garver displays remarkable power at the plate. He hit 31 home runs in just 93 games in 2019 and slammed 19 homers in 296 at-bats during the regular season last year. In the 2023 regular season, he posted a .270/.370/.500 slash line, resulting in a 134 OPS+. In the postseason, he contributed with three home runs, 14 RBIs, and a .226 batting average in 60 plate appearances across 14 games.

At this stage of his career, Garver’s primary value lies in his bat. He only caught in 28 games last season, and his last appearance behind the plate, including playoffs, was on September 2nd. In 2022, he caught in just 14 games. Many teams have adopted a three-man catching setup, with a starting catcher, backup catcher, and an emergency catcher. The Rangers, who won the World Series last season, utilized Garver in this way. Going forward, he is expected to primarily serve as a designated hitter while being available for catching duties in emergencies.

With Cal Raleigh firmly established as the Mariners’ starting catcher, Garver is likely to see the majority of his playing time as a designated hitter, providing Raleigh with occasional rest. After finishing third in the AL West last season and narrowly missing out on a wild-card spot, Seattle is in need of offensive firepower, particularly after trading away Eugenio Suárez and Jarred Kelenic.