For a fourth season in a row the Mets are welcoming Hayden Senger to major league camp. Drafted in 2018, Senger has played all over the Mets farm system from the Kingsport Mets in the now-defunct rookie league all the way to the Syracuse Mets.
In our 2024 NRI Preview we noted that Senger was a solid hitter in college (.272/.359/.409) and during his first five seasons of minor league ball he hit fine (.236/.328/.359). Things hit a notable snag though in 2023 where he hit .188/.307/.295 while stuck in Binghamton. Senger’s bat bounced back in 2024, hitting .234/.302/.363 with his best stretch happing over 48 games in Syracuse where he hit .252/.323/.401.
Hayden Senger’s situation has always been conditioned by catching prospects around him. The Mets signed Francisco Alvarez one month after drafting Hayden Senger. In 2022 the Mets drafted Kevin Parada who at one point was a top-100 prospect in baseball.
Francisco Alvarez has become the Mets star catcher. Luis Torrens has cemented himself as the backup catcher who also has a reliable bat. Yet, Hayden Senger’s situation has never been as good as it is right now. The Mets do not have third catcher listed on 40-man right now. Kevin Parada has struggled, opening up a path up the depth chart for Senger. The other two catchers in camp have not had tremendous, or any, major league success. If we look at spring training as way for the Mets to figure out the minor league players who will step in at some point this season, Senger has a path to make a statement.
Here’s what we are looking for this spring:
- How is Senger behind the plate defensively? Does he have a better relationship with Mets pitchers being in the system for a number of years?
- Is his bat around replacement level?
- Does he have more positive moments than Jakson Reetz and Chris Williams? If none of the three step up the Mets will almost certainly go find another veteran catcher.
