The Seattle Mariners will have a different backup catcher than they’ve had the last two seasons, and a different one than most fans expected they’d have going into 2026.
This offseason, the Mariners declined their half of a $12 million mutual option for Mitch Garver, making him a free agent.
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Garver played in Seattle from 2024-25 as Cal Raleigh’s backup. The former was signed to a two-year, $24 million contract and coming off a World Series with the Texas Rangers in 2023.
Garver’s $24 million deal was the largest Mariners president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto had signed a position player to in free agency at the time. First baseman Josh Naylor signed a five-year, $92.5 million contract this offseason, surpassing Garver’s deal.
Garver didn’t have the tenure that he or Seattle would have hoped. In his pair of years in the Pacific Northwest, he scored 66 runs in 201 games and hit 22 doubles, a triple and 24 home runs with 81 RBIs. He slashed .187/.290/.341 with a .632 OPS.
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With Garver being a free agent, there was an expectation that former top 100 prospect and catcher Harry Ford would step into the role in 2026.
The Mariners opted to trade Ford to the Washington Nationals in return for high-leverage left-handed reliever Jose Ferrer, which gave the organization multiple back-end southpaws.
Following Seattle’s trade for Ferrer, there was rumors that the team could be interested in a reunion with Garver.
Instead, the Mariners opted to sign veteran backstop Andrew Knizner to a one-year contract.
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Knizner’s offensive numbers don’t jump off the page and don’t even meet the power potential Garver had in the lineup, but the former is better defensively.
In a recent episode of the “Refuse to Lose” podcast, ESPN insider Buster Olney spoke about the decision to bring in Knizner and the comparison between him and Garver.
“From the Mariners’ perspective right now, you know going into the year that Cal Raleigh is going to catch 120-130 games,” Olney said on the Refuse to Lose podcast. “That’s what Cal likes to do, it’s how he worked last year, he’s got a long-term deal and he’s been paid. He’s gonna be all-in whenever you can. And really, all that you’re requiring from your backup catcher is someone who is a good defender, because you don’t want to have your backup catcher be a defensive liability unless they just flat-out rake. Mitch Garver didn’t do that. I’ve heard Andrew Knizner is considered to be a really good glove. When I saw this … I kind of wondered if this was a case where they know that Mitch is gonna bet on himself and he’s gonna want to play.”
You can listen to the full podcast between Olney and RoundtableSports’ Brady Farkas below:
Buster Olney of ESPN on Loss of Polanco + Possible Donovan/Marte Trades + Backup Catchers
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