Payton Henry

Payton Henry
Henry with the Miami Marlins in 2022
Philadelphia Phillies
Catcher
Born: (1997-06-24) June 24, 1997 (age 27)
American Fork, Utah, U.S.
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
MLB debut
September 17, 2021, for the Miami Marlins
MLB statistics
(through 2022 season)
Batting average.186
Home runs0
Runs batted in4
Teams

Payton Anthony Henry (born June 24, 1997) is an American professional baseball catcher in the Philadelphia Phillies organization. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Miami Marlins.

Amateur career

Henry attended Pleasant Grove High School in Pleasant Grove, Utah.[1] He originally committed to play college baseball at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, but he decommitted during his junior year. He later committed to Brigham Young University.[2] As a junior in 2015, he hit .527 with nine home runs, and was named the Gatorade Player of the Year for the state of Utah.[3] In 2016, his senior year, he batted .519 with seven home runs alongside pitching to a 2.91 ERA, earning Utah Gatorade Player of the Year honors for the second straight season.[4] After the season, he was selected by the Milwaukee Brewers in the sixth round of the 2016 Major League Baseball draft.[5][6] He signed with the Brewers for $550,000.[7]

Professional career

Milwaukee Brewers

Henry made his professional debut after signing with the Rookie-level Arizona League Brewers, hitting .256 with 17 RBI over 24 games.[8]

In 2017, Henry played with the Helena Brewers of the Rookie-level Pioneer League where he batted .242 with seven home runs and 33 RBI over 55 games.[9] He spent the 2018 season with the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers of the Single–A Midwest League, with whom he was named an All–Star and slashed .234/.327/.380 with ten home runs and 41 RBI over 98 games.[10] He was awarded a Gold Glove after the season.[11] In 2019, he spent the year with the Carolina Mudcats of the High–A Carolina League, earning All-Star honors and batting .242/.315/.395 with 14 home runs and 75 RBI over 121 games, as he led the league in double plays grounded into with 18, and was third in strikeouts, with 142.[12]

Henry did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[13] He was not added to Milwaukee's 40-man roster, and became eligible for the 2020 Rule 5 draft, but was not selected.[14]

To begin the 2021 season, Henry was assigned to the Biloxi Shuckers of the Double-A South, with whom he batted .188.[15] In mid-June, he was promoted to the Nashville Sounds of the Triple-A East.[16]

Miami Marlins

On July 30, 2021, Henry was traded to the Miami Marlins in exchange for John Curtiss.[17] He was then assigned to the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp of the Triple-A East.[18] Over 71 games with Biloxi, Nashville, and Jacksonville, Henry hit .266/.351/.390 with six home runs and 27 RBIs.

On September 17, Miami selected Henry's contract and promoted him to the active roster to make his MLB debut that night.[19] He started at catcher and collected one hit, a double, over four at-bats versus the Pittsburgh Pirates.[20] Henry had 15 at-bats for the Marlins in 2021 in which he collected four hits. In 2022, Henry made 15 major-league appearances for Miami, going 4-for-28 with five walks and 4 RBI.

Milwaukee Brewers (second stint)

On November 10, 2022, Henry was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for outfielder Reminton Batista. Henry was optioned to the Triple-A Nashville Sounds to begin the 2023 season.[21] Henry went 3-for-15 in 5 games for Nashville before he was designated for assignment on April 13, 2023.[22] He cleared waivers and was sent outright to Nashville on April 17.[23] Henry played in a total of 65 games for the Sounds, batting .294/.341/.454 with nine home runs and 35 RBI. He elected free agency following the season on November 6.[24]

Toronto Blue Jays

On December 8, 2023, Henry signed a minor league contract with the Toronto Blue Jays.[25] He began the year with the Triple–A Buffalo Bisons of the International League. During a game against the Syracuse Mets on May 31, 2024, Henry was hit in the back of the head by a swing by Pablo Reyes. He was carted off of the field and taken to a hospital.[26] In 27 total games for Buffalo, he slashed .274/.337/.432 with three home runs and 18 RBI. Henry elected free agency following the season on November 4.[27]

Philadelphia Phillies

On December 10, 2024, Henry signed a minor league contract with the Philadelphia Phillies.[28]


Personal life

Henry is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.[29]

References

  1. ^ "For years, a Pleasant Grove man kept all the baseballs that landed in his yard, before forgiving the slugger who launched them there". The Salt Lake Tribune.
  2. ^ Neil K. Warner. "PG's Henry named 2015 All-Valley Baseball Player of the Year". Heraldextra.com.
  3. ^ Beky Beaton. "Pleasant Grove player named state's best". Heraldextra.com.
  4. ^ Calvaruso, Tyler (May 24, 2016). "Utah Baseball POY: Payton Henry | USA TODAY High School Sports". Usatodayhss.com. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
  5. ^ "Former Pleasant Grove star and BYU signee Payton Henry drafted by the Brewers in the 6th round - Deseret News". Deseret.com. June 10, 2016. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
  6. ^ Neil K. Warner. "Brewers draft Pleasant Grove's Payton Henry in the sixth round". Heraldextra.com.
  7. ^ "Pleasant Grove's Payton Henry signs with Brewers instead of playing for BYU - Deseret News". Deseret.com. June 16, 2016. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
  8. ^ Walker, Sean (August 13, 2017). "Former Utah prep baseball star adjusting to pro ball with Helena Brewers". Ksl.com. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
  9. ^ "Timber Rattlers roster includes four top-30 Brewers prospects | The Midwest League Traveler". Mwltraveler.com. April 5, 2018. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
  10. ^ Haudricourt, Tom. "Payton Henry Earns Surprise Invite To Milwaukee Brewers Camp". Baseballamerica.com.
  11. ^ "Timber Rattlers catcher wins MiLB Gold Glove Award | The Midwest League Traveler". Mwltraveler.com. October 8, 2018. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
  12. ^ "Brewers excited by current crop of catching prospects in their system". Jsonline.com. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
  13. ^ "2020 Minor League Baseball season canceled". MLB.com. Retrieved September 17, 2021.
  14. ^ "Brewers protect prospects Feliciano, Bettinger, File on 40-man roster". Jsonline.com. November 20, 2020. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
  15. ^ "Biloxi Shuckers". Sunherald.com. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  16. ^ "Payton Henry Promoted to Triple-A Nashville". MiLB.com. Retrieved September 17, 2021.
  17. ^ McCalvy, Adam (July 30, 2021). "Norris, Curtiss deals deepen Crew's bullpen". MLB.com.
  18. ^ "Where the Miami Marlins stand after 2021 MLB trade deadline | Miami Herald". Miami Herald. Archived from the original on July 31, 2021.
  19. ^ "Marlins' Payton Henry: Contract selected, starting Friday". CBSSports.com. September 17, 2021. Retrieved September 17, 2021.
  20. ^ "Former BYU Baseball Signee Payton Henry Collects First MLB Hit In Debut". Kslsports.com. September 18, 2021. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  21. ^ "Brewers' Payton Henry: Optioned out to Triple-A". cbssports.com. Retrieved March 25, 2023.
  22. ^ "Brewers' Payton Henry: Designated for assignment". cbssports.com. Retrieved April 13, 2023.
  23. ^ "Brewers' Payton Henry: Outrighted to Triple-A". cbssports.com. Retrieved April 17, 2023.
  24. ^ "2023 MiLB Free Agents". baseballamerica.com. November 8, 2023. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
  25. ^ Franco, Anthony (December 11, 2023). "Blue Jays, Payton Henry Agree To Minor League Contract". MLBTradeRumors.com. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
  26. ^ "Payton Henry alert and responsive after being carted off field in Buffalo Bisons game".
  27. ^ "Minor League Free Agents 2024". baseballamerica.com. Retrieved December 17, 2024.
  28. ^ https://www.milb.com/transactions/2024-12-10
  29. ^ "LDS High School Baseball Player Among Top Prospects for MLB Draft". LDS Living. June 7, 2016. Retrieved September 17, 2021.