Seattle Mariners finalize Mitch Garver as backup catcher as camp breaks

seattle mariners are breaking camp with Mitch Garver as the club’s backup catcher in 2026, a decision that crystallized in the final days of spring training. The move comes after Garver returned to the organization on a minor league deal within 24 hours of contacting general manager Justin Hollander, following outreach from Cal Raleigh. The latest confirmation arrived as camp moved toward Opening Day, with the team’s roster picture sharpening in real time.

Garver’s late return turns into a roster win

The path to this outcome was anything but straightforward. In the lead-up to spring training, it appeared the club would have a new backup catcher for 2026, before the situation shifted with help from Raleigh. Raleigh connected with Garver, the team’s 2025 backup catcher, who was still waiting for an opportunity to join a team, and urged him to get in touch with the organization.

Garver did exactly that, reaching out to Hollander. Within 24 hours, he was back with the club on a minor league deal. As camp reached its final stretch, insider Shannon Drayer said the team would break camp with Garver as Raleigh’s backup.

Garver then reinforced the decision on the field in a spring training win over the White Sox, when the Mariners won 2-1 in the next-to-last game of the preseason. In that game, Garver hit a home run and also drove in a run with a sacrifice fly.

Immediate reactions: experience, fit, and workload

Jon Morosi of MLB Network framed the decision as the right call, focusing on what Garver brings to a role that centers on supporting Raleigh.

“He’s a pro. He’s been a World Series champion before, and he does have that respect of the people around him, ” Morosi said.

Manager Dan Wilson also emphasized the day-to-day value of the veteran catcher, pointing to preparation, experience, and the way Garver works with the team’s information flow behind the scenes.

“I think the job that Garv does is tremendous, ” Wilson said. “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. ”

Wilson continued by stressing the pairing with Raleigh and the benefits of having a seasoned backup in the room. “And so it’s really a good combination to have, ” he said.

Morosi added that Garver’s presence intersects with what he described as one of the major questions facing Wilson and his staff: how to manage Raleigh’s workload behind the plate. Raleigh made 119 starts at catcher and logged 1, 072 innings during the 2025 regular season, then started all 12 games at catcher and caught every inning during Seattle’s postseason run, which included a 15-inning Game 5 in the American League Division Series. Morosi also noted Raleigh had to be ready early to play in this year’s World Baseball Classic.

“I think managing Cal’s workload and maybe getting some more spots for Garver will be one of the major choices that Dan Wilson is faced with during the course of the season, ” Morosi said.

Quick context on how the role evolved

Garver, 35, spent the past two seasons with Seattle after signing a two-year, $24 million deal before the 2024 season. He was initially brought in as the team’s full-time designated hitter, but his role shifted in 2025 to backup catcher and a platoon bat against left-handers.

What’s next for seattle mariners as Opening Day nears

With seattle mariners camp breaking and Garver holding the backup catcher job, the immediate focus turns to how Wilson deploys Raleigh and when Garver gets his opportunities. The team’s internal calculus is now clear: preserve Raleigh where possible, lean on Garver’s experience when needed, and carry the spring decision straight into the regular-season grind.