PEORIA, Ariz. -- A familiar face is entering the backup catcher mix for the Mariners this spring, as Mitch Garver has agreed to terms on a Minor League contract, a source told MLB.com on Wednesday.
The deal is worth $2.25 million if he makes the club's 26-man Major League roster at any point in 2026, another source said.
Garver is expected to arrive at the Peoria Sports Complex by late afternoon on Thursday to undergo a physical, at which point the deal will become official. As such, the club has not yet confirmed the transaction.
Garver, 35, will join a mix that includes Andrew Knizner and Jhonny Pereda for the gig as Cal Raleigh’s backup, though the two already in camp might have a leg up given that they are both on the 40-man roster.
Knizner, especially, is probably in the driver’s seat due to the one-year, $1 million free-agent contract that he agreed to on Dec. 16, and that he’s also out of Minor League options. Pereda, acquired from the Twins on Jan. 27 for cash considerations, has one option remaining.
Essentially, Garver -- who spent the past two seasons in Seattle -- represents depth, which the Mariners had made a point of adding to all offseason, and especially after trading Harry Ford to the Nationals as the key return for leverage reliever Jose A. Ferrer.
But Garver’s return is under a much different context than his most recent tenure, when he was the headliner of Seattle’s 2023-24 offseason on a two-year, $24 million contract. That was the largest free-agent deal for a position player under Mariners president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto (who took over after the 2015 season), but it’s since been surpassed by Josh Naylor’s five-year, $92.5 million contract in November.
Garver made it clear at the end of last season that he wanted to continue playing, and given the need for catching depth across the sport, he’ll get a chance. Even if it’s not in Seattle by Opening Day, veterans of his status -- on the back half of their career looking to still prove themselves -- will agree to these types of deals then use Cactus and Grapefruit League games as an audition of sorts for other teams.
Garver was an Article XX(B) free agent, a player with at least six years of service time who finished last season on an MLB roster. Players in this category who sign Minors deals at least 10 days before Opening Day have opt-out dates through the Collective Bargaining Agreement -- five days before Opening Day, May 1 and June 1.
For context, Rowdy Tellez was on a similar deal last spring, which he signed after pitchers and catchers reported. He wound up breaking camp due to Seattle’s need for a lefty bat and first baseman, and that the Mariners didn’t want to risk losing him.
Basically, Garver can opt out at the very end of camp if he doesn’t have a guaranteed 26-man roster spot.
The Mariners obviously had big hopes for Garver to be their full-time designated hitter in 2024 on the heels of winning the World Series with the Rangers in 2023. But he struggled mightily in his first season in Seattle and was eventually demoted to Raleigh’s backup catcher.
And he wound up settling into the role nicely, which is why the Mariners are bringing him into the mix for 2026. Garver started 42 games at catcher and 22 games at designated hitter last season.
Over two seasons in Seattle, Garver slashed .187/.290/.341 (.631 OPS) with 24 homers and 81 RBIs.