The Twins just lost their starting catcher to the disabled list.
Jason Castro left Wednesday’s game with concussion-like symptoms and he was placed on 7-day disabled list on Thursday.
With Castro sidelined, the Twins called up outfielder Zach Granite. Although Castro’s injury is a bummer, the organization will now have an opportunity to see what they have in prospect Mitch Garver.
Garver was called up last week by the Twins, but he has yet to make an appearance behind the plate, collecting just one hit in eight at-bats.
The 26-year-old put up great numbers at Triple-A Rochester, hitting .291 with 17 home runs and an on-base percentage of .387.
He’s solid defensively too, committing just three errors while throwing out 31 percent of would-be base stealers.
Garver is the team’s top catching prospect and since he’s already in his mid-20s, the organization will probably face a difficult decision.
They have Castro signed through 2019 and although fans see his .229 batting average as in eyesore, he’s provided tremendous value on defense and pitch framing.
But is Garvey willing to accept a backup position for the next two seasons? That remains to be seen.
Fellow backstop Chris Gimenez will also see time behind the plate with Castro out, but it’s unlikely that he’ll be a part of the team’s long-term plan.
In the meantime, this is an opportunity for Garver to show the organization that he’s indeed ready for the Major Leagues.
