Mitch Garver, the World Series champion catcher, has announced his retirement from professional baseball at age 35. The Albuquerque native confirmed the decision to MLB.com via text message, concluding a 10-season major league career that spanned the Minnesota Twins, Texas Rangers, and Seattle Mariners.
Garver spent the first five years of his career with the Twins, where he established himself as a power hitter. In 2019, he earned a Silver Slugger Award after driving in 67 runs, hitting 31 home runs, and posting a .995 on-base plus slugging percentage. His tenure in Minnesota ended when he was traded to the Rangers in 2022.
With Texas, Garver became a key contributor to the team's 2023 World Series championship. During that postseason run, he played in 14 games, hitting .226 with three home runs and 14 runs batted in. Following the title, he signed a two-year, $24 million contract with the Seattle Mariners. At the time of signing, Mariners president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto described it as the richest contract he had ever handed out. That record was later broken by first baseman Josh Naylor, who signed a five-year, $92.5 million deal last offseason.
Garver's time in Seattle saw a shift in his role. He struggled offensively compared to his performance in Texas and was relegated to a backup position behind catcher Cal Raleigh. Despite no longer starting every game, Garver remained an important presence in the clubhouse and assisted Raleigh during his record-setting 2025 season. The Mariners released Garver in August.
After his release, Garver signed a minor league contract with the New York Yankees but did not appear in a major league game for the team. Over his career, Garver played in 701 games, finishing with a .229 batting average, 110 home runs, and 324 runs batted in.