Minnesota Twins 40-man in 40 days: Mitch Garver
Opening Day for the Minnesota Twins is little more than a month away. Puckett’s Pond is here to keep you informed on every player currently on the Twins 40 man roster.
Add Mitch Garver to the list of young players who made their MLB debut for the Minnesota Twins during the 2017 season. This organization is churning out Major Leaguers left and right, and Garver could be the backstop of the future for the Twins.
Garver didn’t experience a lot of success during his first taste of big league action. However, he has shown throughout his Minor League career that he can hit consitently. He has also made huge strides behind the plate defensively, helping him reach the Majors last season.
He enters the 2018 season as the Minnesota Twins number 19 ranked prospect and should be the backup catcher at the MLB level. Jason Castro isn’t getting any younger, or producing at a high level, and Garver could push him for playing time this season.
What to expect from Garver in 2018
Garver hit a woeful .196 in only 52 plate appearances for the Twins in 2017. However, his bat is what carried him through the Minors and is what will help him stick in MLB.
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In more than 2000 plate appearances Garver is a career .271 hitter in the Minor Leagues with 51 home runs. His bat is ahead of his glove at this stage of his development but he as made huge strides defensively in recent seasons.
Castro will still be the everyday catcher in ’18 and that’s good news for Minnesota. Garver has the potential to be an average or better backstop in MLB and could be the future at the position for the Minnesota Twins. However, Garver still needs more seasoning before transitioning into that role.
The future is bright for the Minnesota Twins at catcher and Garver is leading the charge. Ben Rortvedt is the Twins number 24 ranked prospect and made some noise during the 2017 season in the Minors. Together these two could form the top catching duo in Major League Baseball within a couple of years.
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However, it is hard to find quality catching and the Twins could use one of these players as trade bait. Garver could be the big piece to help in a future pitching acquisition, or help the team on the field. The Minnesota Twins expect to contend this season and Garver will play a major role in that success.