Joe Hudson #23

Was a four-year starter and letter winner at Jesuit High School (Tampa, Fla.), twice serving as a team captain...Attended the same high school as RHP Lance McCullers Jr., with the two crossing over in 2009, which was Joe's senior season and McCullers Jr.'s freshman year...Was rated as the No. 5 catching prospect and No. 30 overall prospect from the state of Florida according to Prospectwire.com...Batted .410 with three home runs and 30 RBI...In his senior season, Jesuit went 26-3 and spent nine ranked as the No. 1 prep team nationally by ESPN Rise, Max Preps and Baseball America...After going undrafted out of high school, went on to play collegiately at Notre Dame University...Appeared in 132 career games through three seasons (2010-12)…Had a breakout junior season in which he led Notre Dame with a .332 batting average while also recording six home runs and 39 RBI...Earned All-Big East Second Team honors and was a semifinalist for the Johnny Bench Award (now named the Buster Posey Award)…Was selected by the Reds in the sixth round of the June 2012 draft...Was the highest-selected catcher from Notre Dame since the Chicago White Sox selected Ken Plesha in the first round of the 1965 MLB Draft...Returned to the Major Leagues in 2024, appearing in one game for the Mets on June 21 while backup catcher Luis Torrens was on the Paternity List...Prior to his stint with the Mets, he hadn't appeared in a MLB game since 2020 while with the Mariners...Grew up as a Tampa Bay Rays fan and was in attendance at Tropicana Field when Wade Boggs collected his 3,000th hit with the club in 1999...Hudson signed a Minor League deal with the Rays prior to the 2022 season and appeared in 49 games with Triple-A Durham that year...Is cousins with longtime Twins starter Brad Radke, who was selected to the 1998 All-Star Game as part of a 12-year career with Minnesota (1995-2006)…Both Radke and Hudson graduated from Jesuit High School in Tampa, Fla...Signed a Minor League contract with an invite to Spring Training with the Astros on Dec. 9, 2024...Has accrued 153 days of MLB service time through parts of four seasons.

2024

Began the 2024 season in the Chicago Cubs Minor League system and was a non-roster invitee to their Major League Spring Training...Was acquired by the Mets for cash considerations on April 11 after appearing in two games for Triple-A Iowa...Spent the bulk of his season with Triple-A Syracuse, where batted .216 (21-for-97) with four doubles, five homers and 16 RBI in 34 games...Had his contract selected by the Mets on June 21 and entered as a defensive replacement that same day at Chicago (NL)…Was designated for assignment by the Mets on June 24 and accepted an outright assignment to Triple-A... Was on the 7-day IL from July 14-Sept. 1.

2023

Joe spent the 2023 season with Atlanta's Triple-A Gwinnett hitting .232 (51-for-220) with nine doubles, nine home runs, 37 RBI and a career-high 39 runs scored...Signed a Minor League contract with the Cubs Dec. 14.

2022

Played 49 games for Tampa Bay's Triple-A Durham, posting a .226 average (31-for-137) with 11 home runs, 27 RBI and 24 runs... Caught 37 games for the Bulls and logged a .994 fielding percentage.

2021

Signed by the Pirates on Jan. 25 and spent the entire season with Triple-A Indianapolis…hit .278/.381/.444 (10-for-36) in 11 games in June.

2020

Began abbreviated season with Seattle and made debut as the starting catcher on 7/26 at Houston... Went 2-for-16 in eight games before being sent to alternate training site on 8/14...Was recalled on 8/30 and singled in his only at bat that night at Los Angeles (AL)…Returned to alternate site on 9/1...Was recalled again on 9/27, but did not appear in game...Posted a perfect fielding percentage (60 chances) in his eight nine games (six starts).

2019

Played in 60 games with Triple-A Memphis in St. Louis' organization, slashing .223/.293/.411 with 10 home runs, 24 runs scored and 30 RBI.

2018

Made his Major League debut at CWS (9/8) as a pinchhitter, recording an RBI ground out for the Angels, and remained in the game as the catcher...Recorded his first Major League hit at OAK (9/19), a single off Brett Anderson in the 3rd inning...Was traded to the Angels from the Reds on June 30 for cash considerations...Played in 49 minor league games between Louisville (AAA), Mobile (AA) and Salt Lake (AAA) batting a combined .293 with 4 HR and 22 RBI over 167 at-bats...Contract was purchased by the Los Angeles Angels on September 4 and played in eight Major League games to finish out the season...Threw out 38.7% (12 CS/31 SB ATT) as a member of Salt Lake, 25.0% (4 CS/16 SB ATT) with Louisville and only had one SB ATT while catching in Mobile...Hit safely in his final eight games with Louisville, hit safely in 6-of-7 games with Mobile and 19-of-26 with Salt Lake...Posted three four-hit games during the minor league season and had a season-high 4 RBI, going 4-for-5 with a double and a home run at Pensacola (8/24)...Batted .322 (28-87) with runners on base.

2017

Spent his second straight season at Class AA Pensacola, where he was a mid-season Southern League All-Star...for the second straight season led Blue Wahoos catchers in starts (63)...led Southern League catchers in fielding percentage (.997) and caught stealing percentage (46%)...attended his second straight Major League spring training camp...in 10 exhibition apps hit .286 (1hr, 2rbi)...on 12/4 was invited to 2018 Major League spring training camp.

2016

In his first season above Class A made 67 apps for Class AA Pensacola...led the Blue Wahoos with 64 starts behind the plate...entered the season rated by Baseball America the best defensive catcher in the organization...won Baseball America's Captain's Catcher's Award for his leadership, dedication, overall defensive skills and attention to detail...on 2/3/17 was invited to 2017 Major League spring training camp.

2015

Spent the season at high Class A Daytona, where he was a mid-season Florida State League All-Star...following the season was rated the best defensive catcher in the organization...in March made 1 exhibition appearance for the Reds...on 12/18 was invited to 2016 Major League spring training camp, his first.