Anyone who is a baseball fan can look back to their childhood and recall dreams of playing in the major leagues. Being a star. Knocking the game winning hit in the bottom of the ninth. We all had those dreams. A very, very small number of those dreamers had the talent, the perseverance, the confidence to actually pursue that dream.
When this site brings you all the information on potential draft picks, rising prospects, and potential call-ups, we are recording the history of those men following their dream. Very few make it all the way. Today's story is about one that did. Finally.
Hayden Senger is 27 years old. He has been playing baseball for most of those 27, and since he was drafted by the Mets in the summer of 2018 he has been in the Mets' minor league organization. Seven years is a longer life span than most ball players. They either surge to the top or they flame out and find a different way to make a living. Senger has stuck with the dream for a very long time in this organization, working hard every year to improve himself and move up the ladder.
It was not easy for him. He was always a gifted defensive catcher and has refined his pop time and throwing accuracy so much over the years that he was named the Mets' minor league platinum glove winner in 2023. His bat has been a different story. In 1351 at-bats, he has a slash line of .235/.325/.685 which is the reason he was passed over several times.
Hayden was starting for Binghamton (AA) when Francisco Alvarez came up through the organization. Step aside, let the prospect through. Hayden was starting for Binghamton when Kevin Parada came up through the organization. Step aside, let the prospect through. Senger may have been discouraged, but he had no give-up in him. He respected the team direction, continued to work on his skills, and finally spent the last 48 games of the 2024 season at AAA Syracuse.
During that time the Mets were a catcher-heavy organization. They had Nido, Alvarez, Narvaez, Parada, Torrens, O'Neill, and others so it would have been easy to say, "I gave it my best, it just isn't enough". Not Hayden. He battled through the adversity and was having a good spring this year when Alvarez broke his hammate bone swinging a bat. Luis Torrens was thrust into the starting catcher role, so now the Mets needed a back-up.
Welcome to the major leagues, Hayden Senger!! You will be on the 26-man roster for opening day. You made it to the show! Personally, I was thrilled to hear the news because I watched Senger work his way through AA and knew he had the attitude. He had the will to turn the dream into reality.
Alvarez is out 6-8 weeks. No one knows what will happen when he comes back. Maybe it is just a cup of coffee for Senger. Maybe not. Anyone remember Wally Pipp? Keep the dream alive, young man. This is what makes baseball so much fun to watch.
