Todd Hundley

Catcher · Mets 1990–1998

The part fans remember

What the numbers leave out.

Hundley gave the Mets power from behind the plate during a period when the rest of the roster was still searching for direction. His swing made him a star before Piazza arrived and made the catcher position a source of real excitement again.

Hundley became the Mets’ catcher during the period between Gary Carter and Mike Piazza, which meant he had to create his own identity. He did it with power. The swing was aggressive, sometimes too aggressive, but when he connected the ball left Shea in a hurry. In 1996 he set a major-league record with 41 home runs by a catcher.

That season made Hundley an All-Star and briefly turned him into the face of a team still looking for direction. Catching every day took a physical toll, and the Mets sometimes asked him to carry more offense than his body could reasonably support. He remained dangerous in the lineup even when the rest of the roster lacked protection around him.

Piazza’s arrival in 1998 changed the franchise and pushed Hundley into a difficult role. He was traded to the Dodgers, and the Mets moved forward with the greatest offensive catcher of the era. That does not erase Hundley’s contribution. He gave fans a powerful, homegrown catcher during a bleak stretch and helped make the position feel exciting again before Piazza took it to another level.

The honest version

The best stretch

Hundley’s 1995–97 stretch gave the Mets a catcher with middle-of-the-order power during a period when the rest of the roster was still unsettled. His 41 home runs in 1996 broke the major-league record for a catcher and made him an All-Star. He did not need to be a smooth all-around player to matter; the swing changed the lineup’s ceiling.

The part that got messy

The position made the success expensive. Catching every day affected his legs and throwing, and the Mets had to decide how much offense they could afford to lose behind the plate. Once Piazza arrived, the comparison became impossible. Hundley was a very good power catcher, while Piazza was changing the sport’s idea of what a catcher could hit.

Why fans still care

That does not make Hundley a failed version of Piazza. He was a homegrown star who gave the franchise a major-league record, a reason to watch a struggling team, and a bridge to the biggest offensive catcher in Mets history. The timing made his achievement easier to forget than it should be.

Signature Mets moment
Hit 41 home runs in 1996, then a major-league record for a catcher.

The short list

The stuff worth remembering.

01Two-time All-Star
0241 home runs in 1996
03Mets power leader before Piazza