Mitch Garver’s path through the big leagues was never the neat, polished story teams dream on draft day. It was the long shot that kept paying off, all the way to a career that now ends with 701 games, 110 home runs, and a World Series ring.
The former Twins catcher has officially retired at 35, bringing down the curtain after a 10-year run in the majors. Signed out of New Mexico for a $40,000 bonus, Garver beat the odds from the start and turned that modest investment into nearly $37 million in career earnings.
His journey began with Minnesota, where he debuted in 2017 at age 26. He later became one of the defining bats of the Twins’ 2019 Bomba Squad, the club that set the major league record with 307 home runs.
Garver was the fifth player on that roster to clear 30 homers, finishing with 31. That season he hit .273 with a .995 OPS and won a Silver Slugger, establishing himself as arguably the best offensive catcher in the league.
Garver’s rise fit the Twins’ recent run of developmental success stories, a group that also includes Louie Varland, Bailey Ober, and Zebby Matthews. But Garver’s story stood out even in that company.
He wasn’t a high draft pick or a top prospect. He was a ninth-round selection in 2013 who kept climbing.
After being traded to Texas before the 2022 season for Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Ronny Henriquez, Garver settled in with the Rangers and won a World Series the following year. Two months later, he signed a two-year deal with the Seattle Mariners in December 2023.
His time in Seattle was rocky. In 50 games this season, he hit just .175 with a .596 OPS.
Even when 2025 breakout Cal Raleigh was struggling to a .664 OPS, Garver’s playing time stayed spotty. The Mariners re-signed him in February, then released him in August.
Four days later, he joined the New York Yankees, though he was not promoted when rosters expanded. That gave him a chance to weigh his future, and he chose retirement.
Garver is finished as a player, but not necessarily with the sport. He wants to do something in baseball down the line, though for now he’s looking forward to being “just a dad and husband” with more time on his hands.
In Other News...
Iowa Heads To Minnesota With One Huge Offensive Question
Iowa comes to Minneapolis for a Big Ten matchup Saturday with a major quarterback wrinkle already in place, and the Hawkeyes have reasons to feel better about how that position looks than they did a week ago. Jeremy Hecklinski will start again for the injured Hank Brown, giving Iowa a chance to keep its momentum going against a Minnesota team that knows this kind of game can turn on one or two key drives.
Hecklinski has given Iowa a steadier presence in recent outings, which is part of why the Hawkeyes are expected to enter the weekend with confidence. For Minnesota, the challenge is clear: make the freshman quarterback work under pressure, slow an offense that has found some rhythm, and try to turn a Saturday that already leans toward Iowa into something far less comfortable for the visitors. [Read more 🡒]
Gophers Can Finally Flip Iowas Hidden Edge In This Rivalry
Special teams have long been a pressure point in the Iowa-Minnesota rivalry, and for the Gophers, thats hardly a small footnote. P.J. Fleck has leaned into the idea that this matchup often turns on hidden yards and hidden moments, where one kick, one return, or one coverage bust can swing a game as much as anything happening on offense or defense. Iowa has made a habit of owning those edges with players like Cooper DeJean and Tory Taylor, while Minnesota has been trying to narrow the gap on the third phase.
The 2023 meeting was another reminder of how thin that margin can be. A controversial ruling wiped away a punt-return score that Iowa backers still argue about, and Minnesota still came away needing every bit of its special-teams steadiness to stay in it. Dragan Kesich was central to that effort, and his role only underscores what Fleck keeps returning to: if the Gophers can keep this rivalry from tilting on hidden advantages, they give themselves a real chance to finally change the script. [Read more 🡒]
Gophers Must Fix One Rivalry Problem To Take Back Floyd
Minnesota heads into its matchup with Iowa with more than a standard Big Ten result hanging over the day. The Gophers have already put themselves in position to chase a rare sweep of the rivalry trophies, and this one carries the biggest weight of all because Floyd remains the trophy the program has had the hardest time reclaiming. Iowas recent grip on the series has made every meeting feel like a referendum on whether Minnesota can finally turn good seasons into something more durable in the rivalry.
The Hawkeyes also arrive with a new wrinkle under center after Kirk Ferentz settled on Jeremy Hecklinski at quarterback following Hank Browns shoulder injury. That adjustment adds another layer to a game that already features plenty of familiarity and frustration on both sides, and it leaves Minnesota with a straightforward but difficult task: find a way to solve the rivalry problem that has kept this trophy out of reach for too long. [Read more 🡒]