Yankees Sign Veteran Catcher Mitch Garver After Trade Deadline

The New York Yankees have signed veteran catcher Mitch Garver to a minor-league contract as they seek to improve their catching depth after the trade deadline passed without any acquisitions.

Garver, who is 35 years old, was released by the Seattle Mariners earlier this week. His performance this season has been subpar, with a .175 batting average and a .596 OPS over 50 games. Although he showed some improvement against left-handed pitchers, his overall output has not met expectations.

Garver previously had a successful stint with the Minnesota Twins, hitting 31 home runs in 2019 and achieving an .870 OPS with the Texas Rangers in 2023. His connection with Yankees' director of catching Tanner Swanson, from their time together with the Twins, may have influenced the signing. The Yankees currently have Austin Wells and Ali Sánchez as their major-league catchers, but Garver's performance in the minors could lead to a promotion if he excels.