Yankees Must Sign Recently Released Catcher to Address Trade Deadline Failure

If just to get some depth and experience in the room, Mitch Garver can be an asset for the Yankees.

Jun 9, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Seattle Mariners catcher Mitch Garver (18) looks toward the dugout during the second inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: James A. Pittman-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The most unanimous opinion about what the Yankees did at the 2026 trade deadline was that they made a massive oversight at the catching position, electing not to pony up for any available catcher and stick with Austin Wells and Ali Sanchez behind the plate.

But just because the trade deadline has passed doesn't mean they can't still make an addition to the organization in some other way. A recently released catcher across the country has plenty of big league and playoff experience, and while he's struggled this season, the veteran could fit as a right-handed platoon partner for Wells.

How Things Went Wrong For Mitch Garver in Seattle

Mitch Garver has been in the major leagues for the better part of 10 years, debuting for the Twins in 2017 and playing for the Rangers and Mariners in the years since. He got to Seattle in 2024 and served as the team's designated hitter and backup catcher for the emerging Cal Raleigh, but he regressed mightily from his incredible 2023 season with the World Series champion Rangers.

His role slightly shrank in 2025 as Raleigh effectively became the most-used catcher in baseball during his near-MVP season, raising his batting average back above the Mendoza Line but still being below average with an 85 OPS+. After not living up to the two-year, $24 million contract he signed before 2024, he re-signed on a minor league deal and won the backup catcher spot out of spring training.

An early-season injury to a struggling Raleigh opened the door for Garver to make an impression, but he squandered that opportunity. In 50 games this season, Garver has slashed a putrid .175/.302/.294 with four home runs, 15 RBIs, and a 73 OPS+, ultimately losing his job to journeyman Jhonny Pereda and being released on Tuesday.

On paper, you might think that it would be a waste of time to bring in Garver, who's nearing his 36th birthday and is going on three seasons with no productivity at the plate, but a closer look might give the Yankees a reason to make a call.

The case for Mitch Garver in pinstripes

There's not a whole lot to be excited about with any player who is released midseason by a competing ballclub, but Garver has a few traits that might be of interest to the Yankees.

For one, he can draw a walk. Since Aaron Judge went down with an injury, the Yankees have gone from the best walk rate in baseball to the worst as part of a steep drop-off in all plate discipline metrics. Garver's strikeout rate is way too high to call his plate discipline good, but he's been able to see pitches. His 4.24 pitches seen per plate appearance is well above the MLB average of 3.87.

There might also be at least some juice left in his bat. He ranks well above average in average exit velocity and hard-hit rate, with expected numbers that suggest a degree of unluckiness. It also doesn't help that, for the past three seasons, he's been playing in one of the harshest hitting environments in all of baseball in Seattle.

He's been mildly better at left-handed pitching with a .659 OPS, a mark that is better than Wells by a considerable amount, but the real intrigue is just how different he plays away from T-Mobile Park:

• Home: .105/.239/.193, 43 wRC+
• Away: .232/.354/.377, 112 wRC+

The park factor at the Mariners' home ballpark is dead last in all of baseball for hitters, and while right-handed hitters aren't exactly favored heavily in Yankee Stadium, it's significantly more favorable than the destitute dimensions in Seattle. The peripherals tell a very similar story.

Mitch Garver's Home/Road Splits | @YankeesFocus on X/Twitter

You can tell what effect the ballpark has on him here. Process-wise, he's the exact same hitter, but he translates the batted ball outcomes much better in the other 29 parks. That's the reason to believe the Yankees can unlock more out of him.

The other thing Garver could provide is his veteran experience, particularly his run as the starting catcher for the 2023 Rangers. His .751 OPS during that run wasn't anything special, but he got some massive hits for that team, including big home runs in Game 1 of the ALDS and Game 6 of the ALCS.

What Garver's addition could mean for the Yankees' roster

Garver would serve as a perfect platoon with Wells behind the plate and likely would push Sanchez back into the minor leagues. Whether Sanchez would accept an outright assignment after being DFA'd (as he has no options remaining) remains to be seen.

The Yankees seemed to have this contingency planned out; however, when they signed veteran catcher Christian Bethancourt to a minor league contract at the end of July, giving them another right-handed option in case someone gets hurt or Sanchez leaves the organization altogether after being DFA'd.

In the situation that the Yankees are currently in, there's no reason for them not to take a flier on a veteran like this. If all else fails, they'll have to hope that Wells' recent hot streak holds up, but the upside of being able to platoon at the catching position is larger than some might give it credit for.

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