Minnesota Twins Send Mitch Garver Message After Retirement From MLB

Former Minnesota Twins catcher Mitch Garver has officially retired from MLB at 35, ending a decade-long career that included a Silver Slugger Award and a World Series championship. "We tip our caps to you, GarvSauce! Congratulations on your retirement!" the Twins wrote on X.

Garver confirmed his decision on Oct. 22 after spending the 2026 season with the Seattle Mariners and briefly joining the New York Yankees' minor-league system.

He played 50 games for Seattle before the club released him in August, then signed a minor-league deal with New York without returning to the majors. He said he wants more time with his family and to step away from the daily demands of the game entirely.

Garver grew up in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and walked on at the University of New Mexico, where he was named Mountain West co-player of the year in both 2012 and 2013 and earned second-team All-American honors.

He set a school record with 181 consecutive starts. The Twins selected him in the ninth round of the 2013 draft, and he worked his way through the system before making his major-league debut in 2017.

He spent his first five seasons in Minnesota, where he developed into one of the most productive offensive catchers in the American League. His best season came in 2019, when he hit .273 with 31 home runs and 67 RBIs in 93 games, earning the AL Silver Slugger Award and setting a Twins franchise record for home runs by a catcher.

Minnesota traded him to the Texas Rangers in March 2022 for Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Ronny Henriquez. A right forearm injury ended his first season in Texas after 54 games. He came back in 2023, hitting 19 home runs with an .870 OPS in 87 regular-season games, then delivered in October with a grand slam in Game 2 of the ALDS and started every ALCS game as the Rangers won their first World Series title.

Injuries shaped the back half of his career. An intercostal strain cost him a good chunk of the 2020 season. The forearm surgery wiped out 2022. A left knee sprain sidelined him for nearly two months in 2023. Those setbacks gradually shifted him from catcher to primary designated hitter.

He signed a two-year, $24 million deal with Seattle before 2024. His production declined significantly with the Mariners, and he finished his final major-league season batting .175 with four home runs. 

Garver meant a lot to Twins fans and Minnesota honored him with a special message as he enters the next phase of his life.