Veteran Mets Catcher Passes Away at the Age of 74

 Ron Hodges, a seasoned Major League veteran with a 12-year career, passed away at the age of 74, as announced by the New York Mets. Notably, Hodges dedicated his entire career to the Mets, despite initial attempts by other teams to draft him.

Before joining the Mets, Hodges was selected by the Baltimore Orioles in the sixth round of the 1970 draft, but he did not sign with them. In 1971, he was drafted by both the Kansas City Royals and Atlanta Braves in January and June, respectively, yet he did not commit to a team until the Mets chose him in the second round of the secondary phase in the January 1972 draft. Hodges quickly ascended to the Major League club, making his debut in June 1973.

During his rookie season, Hodges primarily served as the club's backup catcher and a pinch-hitter. He made the postseason roster in 1973 but did not play in the NLCS against the Reds. However, he appeared in Game 1 of the World Series against the A's as a pinch hitter, drawing a walk in his sole appearance, although the Mets ultimately lost the series in seven games.

In the first eight seasons of his career, Hodges played the role of a backup and pinch-hitter, maintaining a respectable .233/.320/.314 slash line in 377 games. His offensive performance saw improvement in 1981, where he impressed with a .302/.375/.419 slash line in 35 games. This led to increased playing time in 1982, as he split time behind the plate with John Stearns, appearing in 80 games and slashing .246/.358/.373 in 276 plate appearances.

Building on his solid showing in 1982, Hodges became the Mets' Opening Day starter in 1983. He caught Tom Seaver in Seaver's first start back in Queens for his age-38 season. Hodges played in 110 games that season, slashing .260/.383/.308 in 305 plate appearances. The 1984 season marked the end of his career, retiring with 666 games and 1,683 plate appearances. Hodges, a career .240/.342/.322 hitter, accumulated 342 hits. The MLB Trade Rumors team extends con
dolences to Hodges's family, friends, loved ones, and teammates.