Mitch Garver


Mitchell Lyn Garver is an American professional baseball catcher for the Minnesota Twins of Major League Baseball.

College

Garver attended La Cueva High School in Albuquerque, New Mexico and played college baseball at the University of New Mexico. While at New Mexico, he played collegiate summer baseball for the Hyannis Harbor Hawks of the Cape Cod Baseball League in 2012, and was named a league all-star.

Professional career

He was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the ninth round of the 2013 Major League Baseball draft. He spent his first professional season with the Elizabethton Twins where he batted.243 in 56 games. He spent 2014 with the Cedar Rapids Kernels where he posted a.245 average with 16 home runs and 79 RBI, and 2015 with the Fort Myers Miracle where he batted.329 in 22 games. After the 2015 season he played in the Arizona Fall League. Garver spent 2016 with both the Chattanooga Lookouts and the Rochester Red Wings, where he posted a combined.270 batting average with 11 home runs and 66 RBI. He played in the Arizona Fall League after the season for the second consecutive year. The Twins added him to their 40-man roster after the season.

2017

In 2017, Garver was promoted from AAA to the MLB to play with the Twins. Garver debuted on August 19, 2017. He got his first major league hit the next day, and played in 23 games that year, batting.196 with 3 RBI.

2018

In 2018, Garver hit his first home run on April 5, and became the Twins’ primary catcher by May. He hit seven home runs and batted.268.

2019

In the midst of Garver having a career year, on May 14, 2019, he suffered a left high ankle sprain after a collision at home plate with Angels DH, Shohei Ohtani. Ohtani was tagged out at home keeping the Twins 4-3 lead. Garver exited the game , and was put on the 10-Day IL, and teammate Miguel Sano was called up to make his 2019 debut. Garver enjoyed a breakout season despite only playing in 93 games for the Twins. In 311 at bats, he hit 31 home runs while driving in 67. Garver also won the Silver Slugger award for catchers in the American League.