Mitch Garver Wins 14 of 17 ABS Challenges, Leading AL Catchers at 82%
Updated
Updated · SoDo Mojo · May 22
Mitch Garver Wins 14 of 17 ABS Challenges, Leading AL Catchers at 82%
5 articles · Updated · SoDo Mojo · May 22
Garver has won 14 of 17 Automated Ball-Strike System challenges while catching for Seattle, giving him an AL-best 82% success rate.
Tuesday’s key reversal against Mason Peters flipped a 2-0 count to 1-1 on a Bryce Miller fastball that barely caught the zone, and Peters later made an out.
The edge appears to come less from framing than strike-zone recognition: Garver is at minus-2 catcher framing runs, yet broadcasters said he knows which pitches are strikes even when he cannot sell them.
That contrasts with injured starter Cal Raleigh, who has won only 60% of his catching challenges and has also been reluctant to use ABS at the plate.
With Seattle 3-4 since Raleigh went on the injured list, Garver’s challenge skill has become a quiet way to limit damage while the Mariners wait for their regular catcher to rebound.
From MVP runner-up to injured liability, can Cal Raleigh adapt to baseball's new tech-driven era?
Is baseball's new challenge system making the skill of pitch-framing obsolete?