WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Hayden Senger has spent seven years in the Mets organization to reach this point of consideration for the major leagues, so he doesn’t consider waiting a few more days to learn his fate a big deal.
The 27-year-old remains in the mix for the team’s backup catcher job, after Francisco Alvarez underwent surgery earlier this month for a broken hamate bone in his left hand. Senger and Jakson Reetz are the remaining candidates in camp for the job.
“I have been with this organization for a while and I think they know I am a good catcher,” Senger said Wednesday. “I think they know I work on my hitting a lot and that has improved over the years.”
Senger showed his strong arm on Monday with a pickoff play at first base.
He owns a career .685 OPS in the minor leagues as a hitter, but manager Carlos Mendoza isn’t looking for offense from his backup catcher. Luis Torrens will be the starter until Alvarez returns — he is on an early-May schedule.
“The feedback I am getting from not only from the pitching coaches, but the pitching staff [on Senger] is pretty encouraging,” Mendoza said. “This is a guy who has been in the organization for a long time and putting himself in a pretty good position.”
Mendoza brought the entire “A” team on the road to face the Astros at Cacti Park of the Palm Beaches.
It was a lineup that included Francisco Lindor, Juan Soto, Pete Alonso, Mark Vientos, Brandon Nimmo, Starling Marte, Torrens, Brett Baty and Tyrone Taylor.
Was it a prelude to the Opening Day lineup next Thursday against the Astros, who are scheduled to start left-hander Framber Valdez?
“We have still got to get through the next six games,” Mendoza said. “But hopefully a lot of these faces are the ones that are playing the first game in Houston.”
Dedniel Núñez reported to the Mets staff that he felt good on Tuesday, a day after he appeared in the Grapefruit League for the first time this spring. José Butto also reported he was fine after pitching for the first time since he incurred groin discomfort.
Mendoza indicated it’s possible Núñez could still be ready for Opening Day despite the limited action this spring.
The Mets have taken it slowly with Núñez, who was shut down in August last season with forearm tightness.
“We need to protect him, right?” Mendoza said. “Is he able to go, say, two out of three [days] out of the gate … and then see where we are with some of the other guys that are going to be part of that bullpen? Because it’s hard to carry so many guys that you have to take care of.”
Most notably, team officials are monitoring A.J. Minter, who is returning from hip surgery.
