Drayer: Mariners to go with Garver as backup catcher

One of the Seattle Mariners’ few roster decisions heading into spring training has been made. Per a source, the Mariners will go with Mitch Garver as their backup catcher.

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It is a move that was not on the radar when camp began, as Andrew Knizner and Jhonny Pereda were acquired in the offseason and brought in to compete for the spot. Garver remained an unsigned free agent until, on the advice of Cal Raleigh, he reached out to Mariners general manager Justin Hollander and came away with a minor league contract that would pay him $2.25 million if he played in the big leagues in 2026.

Garver arrived in camp Feb. 20 and was able to get back into what was a familiar routine for him. He has played in nine games, hitting .182 with a .308 on-base percentage, but has worked well with the pitchers and clearly is someone manager Dan Wilson values in the role.

“I think the job that Garv does is tremendous,” Wilson said last week. “And I think he’s able to lean on experience. He takes our information very seriously, too. When you combine those two, Garv does a really good job back there. I think that’s a huge asset that we have in that we have Cal, who does such a great job, is one of the best catchers in the league, was one of the best players in the league, period. And then you have a guy with experience, and as the backup role, that really helps a lot in the background, too, behind the scenes with a lot of our guys. And so it’s really a good combination to have.”

As an Article XX(B) free agent (a player with at least six years of service time who finished the season on a big league roster and signed his contract more than 10 days before opening day), Garver had a March 21 opt-out if he was not placed on the 26-man roster.

He will reassume a role that will be more limited this year, as fewer at-bats will be available to him with Seattle’s four-player, right field/designated hitter platoon. His right-handed bat off the bench and the ability to run into one here and there likely came into play, as that had been a need on the Mariners’ bench, as they lean a little left-handed in the infield.

As for the other two catchers who were competing for the backup spot, Pereda, who was acquired in a trade with the Minnesota Twins for cash considerations, has a minor league option and can be sent to the minor leagues, where he is good depth in the backup spot. Knizner, who signed a $1 million guaranteed major league contract on Dec. 16, is out of options, however, and as a player with just over five years of service time, he can decline an outright assignment to the minors if he clears waivers.

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