The New York Yankees have turned to a familiar name in an effort to bolster their catching depth after coming up empty at the trade deadline.
On Friday, the club agreed to a minor-league contract with veteran catcher Mitch Garver, according to a source.
Garver, 35, became available after the Seattle Mariners released him earlier this week. The right-handed hitter struggled badly in 50 games this season, posting a .175 batting average and a .596 OPS.
He showed modest improvement against left-handed pitching, hitting .222 with a .659 OPS in those matchups, but overall production remained well below expectations.
There was a time when Garver was a terrific hitting backstop, as he smashed 31 home runs with the Minnesota Twins back in 2019. He also managed an .870 OPS with the Texas Rangers in 2023, helping the Rangers win a World Series.
The signing carries a personal connection for the organization. Garver previously worked with Tanner Swanson, the Yankees’ director of catching, during their shared time with the Twins. That relationship may have helped facilitate the move as New York looks for additional options at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
General manager Brian Cashman had hoped to upgrade the position before the deadline. The Yankees showed interest in Minnesota’s Ryan Jeffers, another right-handed bat, but the Twins elected not to sell.
Boston ultimately outbid New York for Baltimore Orioles All-Star Adley Rutschman, while the Rays acquired left-handed-hitting Liam Hicks from the Miami Marlins. When the deadline passed, Cashman had added no catcher to the major-league roster.
The current big-league tandem consists of Austin Wells and Ali Sánchez.
Wells has endured a difficult offensive season for much of the year, ranking among the least productive hitters in the majors. Yet he has surged in recent weeks, compiling a .931 OPS since July 9.
Yankees officials also credit him with helping the pitching staff post the best ERA in baseball, which explains why he continued to see regular playing time despite the early struggles.
Sánchez, a right-handed hitter, entered Friday with a .657 OPS overall but a stronger .838 mark in limited opportunities against lefties. His roster spot could face pressure if Garver performs well enough in the minors to earn a promotion. The organization already has J.C. Escarra and recently signed veteran Christian Bethancourt at Triple-A, so Garver will need to distinguish himself quickly.
Framing remains an area of concern. Garver ranked in just the 17th percentile in that category this season, a skill the Yankees continue to value even in the age of the automated ball-strike system.
Whether the veteran has enough left to contribute at the major-league level remains uncertain, but the low-risk minor-league deal gives New York another experienced option as it navigates the final stretch of the season.
