The New York Yankees made multiple moves at the trade deadline, acquiring sluggers Luis Garcia Jr. and Heliot Ramos. However, they left many wondering why they didn’t address what many viewed as their two biggest needs: bullpen help and catching.
Just days later, before opening a pivotal series against the red-hot Atlanta Braves on Friday, the Yankees made another notable roster move.
Yankees Sign 10-Year Veteran
First reported by Ted Schwerzler of MinnesotaSportsFan.com, the Yankees reportedly agreed to a minor league deal with recently released Seattle Mariners catcher Mitch Garver, who is in his 10th MLB season.
Garver will begin his Yankees tenure with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, and the contract includes an opt-out later this month.
Yankees sign righty-hitting catcher Mitch Garver to a Minor League deal, per @tlschwerz
The 35-year-old Garver was released by the Mariners this week after hitting .175 with a .596 OPS in 50 games this season pic.twitter.com/YJ9ure9Zql
— Talkin’ Yanks (@TalkinYanks) August 7, 2026
Garver’s 2026 Season
The Mariners released Garver earlier this week after he struggled to produce at the plate.
He’s batting just .175 across 126 at-bats with 22 hits, four home runs, and 15 RBIs, while slugging .294 and posting a .596 OPS.
Garver spent the back half of his third season with Seattle, serving as the veteran backup to Cal Raleigh for most of his tenure with the club.
Garver’s MLB Career
Garver made his MLB debut with the Minnesota Twins in 2017 and spent the first five seasons of his career there.
He then played two seasons with the Texas Rangers, helping the club win the 2023 World Series while putting together one of the best offensive seasons of his career. That year, he hit 19 home runs and drove in 50 RBIs.
For his career, Garver is a .229 hitter with 497 hits, 110 home runs, and 2,169 at-bats.
While he likely won’t be a game-changing addition, Garver gives the Yankees another experienced catching option and valuable veteran depth behind Austin Wells and Ali Sánchez.
New York Yankees Sign 10-Year MLB Veteran Before Braves Series