Mitch Garver

Mitch Garver's Biography

Mitchell Lynn Garver, an esteemed major leaguer, was born to Gail and Jerry Garver on January 15, 1991, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he developed a passion for baseball that would shape his life. He is now recognized as a talented baseball catcher and designated hitter for the Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball (MLB). Over his dazzling career, Garver has ignited the fields for the Minnesota Twins and Texas Rangers before his current stint with the Mariners.

In his youth, Garver attended La Cueva High School in Albuquerque where his skills as a catcher for the school baseball team garnered attention. Simultaneously, he also caught the eye as a brilliant center back for the school soccer team. His soccer coach even suggested that Garver consider pursuing his soccer career further by moving to the United Kingdom to join a European academy, but the young sportsman, having already set his heart on baseball, found the perspective daunting and respectfully declined. However, his contributions to both soccer and baseball were commendable. In 2008, as a junior, Garver helped his team seize a state championship in both sports. By the time he graduated in 2009, he had been named the Albuquerque Public Schools’ Male Athlete of the Year, having achieved a batting average of .521 with 10 home runs in his senior year.

Garver’s journey continued at the University of New Mexico, where he played college baseball for the New Mexico Lobos. His talent and remarkable skill in the field led him to play collegiate summer baseball for the Hyannis Harbor Hawks of the Cape Cod Baseball League in 2012 where he shone as a league all-star.

After college, Garver was selected by the Minnesota Twins in the ninth round of the 2013 Major League Baseball draft. His first professional season was with the Elizabethton Twins where he achieved a batting average of .243 in 56 games. Over the subsequent years, he continued to progress in his career, playing with the Cedar Rapids Kernels in 2014 and the Fort Myers Miracle in 2015. In 2016, he split his time between the Chattanooga Lookouts and the Rochester Red Wings, earning a combined .270 batting average with 11 home runs and 66 RBI. After each of the 2015 and 2016 seasons, Garver also played in the Arizona Fall League.

Following his commendable performances, the Twins added him to their 40-man roster after the 2016 season. The subsequent breakthrough into the major leagues came in 2017 when Garver was promoted by the Twins. He debuted on August 19, 2017, securing his first major league hit the following day. In 2018, Garver earned the position of the Twins’ primary catcher after hitting his first home run on April 5.

In the 2019 season, during a career-high year for Garver, he suffered a setback with a left high ankle sprain after a collision at home plate. However, he bounced back robustly, ending the season with 31 home runs in 311 at-bats and taking home the Silver Slugger Award for catchers in the American League.

In the shortened 2020 season, Garver faced another injury hurdle, limiting him to only 23 games. Throughout the season, he managed a batting average of .167/.247/.264. In a historic moment in July 2021, he and Detroit Tigers’ catcher, Eric Haase, became the first opposing catchers in history to hit grand slam home runs in the same game.

Garver joined the Texas Rangers in March 2022 through a trade deal. Although he underwent injury-induced surgery for a torn flexor tendon in his right forearm midway through the season, he celebrated a World Series victory with the Rangers in 2023. After the season ended, on December 28, 2023, Garver signed a well-deserved two-year, $24 million contract with the Seattle Mariners, together with a mutual option for a third year.

Garver is renowned for his unique catching stance which involves keeping one knee on the ground always, echoing the unique style of Tony Peña. Despite initial struggles with pitch framing, especially with low strikes, his continuous hard work and pursuit of refinement finally paid off. With guidance from Bill Evers and Tanner Swanson after the 2018 season, Garver adapted to a stance allowing an improved handling of lower pitches.

Away from the diamond, Garver met his wife, Sarah, during their sophomore year of high school. Sarah received her degree in veterinary medicine from Oregon State University shortly after Garver’s initiation into the major leagues. The couple welcomed their first child, a son, in July 2021. Mitchell Lynn Garver’s life indeed serves as a testimony of resilience, hard work, and perseverance, both in his professional life as a major league baseball player and in his personal endeavors. His journey continues to be a source of inspiration for fans and aspiring athletes alike.