D-backs' Haniger 'hit his way up here,' hits away in debut
PHOENIX -- It was the news Mitch Haniger was waiting to hear since he was drafted -- and likely even before then -- and all he wanted to do was share with his parents.
The only problem: They wouldn't answer the phone.
Haniger was pulled from the Reno Aces' game in the third inning Monday and told he was headed to the parent club Diamondbacks. His first Major League call-up. As the Triple-A game continued, Haniger used the team trainer's cell phone to call his fiance, Amanda, and parents, Walt and Judy, to share the big news.
They didn't recognize the strange number. So they didn't answer. After multiple attempts and finally a text message, Haniger's mom picked up at the family's home in Santa Clara, Calif.
"I started crying after I asked him, 'Are you OK? Are you hurt?'" Judy told FOX Sports Arizona's Kate Longworth. "It's something I've dreamed about since he was a 5-year-old boy. It's awesome."
Walt and Judy were on a plane Tuesday morning and in the left-field bleachers at Chase Field as their son picked up where he'd left off in two dominate minor league stops this season and collected a pair of hits in his big-league debut.
Haniger became the first player in D-backs history to triple for his first career hit in his first game, added a double and tied a franchise mark with three RBI in a debut in an all-around performance in the D-backs' 7-5 loss to the Mets.
"Every swing he took, he was right on it," D-backs manager Chip Hale said. "Just exactly as advertised from (Reno manager) Phil Nevin and everybody in the minor leagues. He really knows how to play the game."
In his first at-bat, Haniger struck out against Mets right-hander Noah Syndergaard. But he'll always remember hearing his name announced over the PA system and digging into the batter's box for the first time.
"It's what I always dreamed about," Haniger said. "I wish that at-bat had gone a little differently but I got him later in the game."
After a ground out in the fourth inning, Haniger tripled to the right-center gap against Syndergaard, scoring a pair of runs.
"I know my mom was probably pretty nervous so it was good to get her a hit," Haniger said. "I was just looking for a good pitch to hit. That's been my approach and I just wanted to stick with that, whether it's in the minor leagues or the big leagues."
Haniger racked up 60 extra-base hits in the minors this year and followed up the triple with an RBI double off Addison Reed that pulled the D-backs within two runs in the seventh.
"We were just hoping for a base hit tonight, just something to give him a little bit of confidence," Walt told FOX Sports Arizona before he took a picture of his son's .500 batting average on the Chase Field scoreboard. "We had to pinch ourselves all day: 'Is this really happening?'"
Haniger also made a pair of impressive throws from left field and a sliding catch that took away a hit from James Loney.
Haniger was acquired along with pitcher Anthony Banda from the Brewers in exchange for Gerardo Parra in 2014. The No. 38 overall pick in the 2012 draft, Haniger was solid but unremarkable in his first four minor league seasons.
This season, however, Haniger hit .325 with 32 doubles, 24 home runs and 86 RBI in 119 games with Double-A Mobile and Reno. After he was not invited to big-league camp in the spring, Haniger, as Hale put it, put himself on the map this season.
"He's really kind of put it together this year," Hale said. "Obviously his offensive numbers, he hit his way up here. His approach at the plate should carry over and be very successful. ... You kind of have to handicap everything with the PCL, but you look at what pitches they're swinging at and their swing path and it looks like he should be successful.
"But this is the toughest level and he's going to be facing the best pitchers in the world."
Haniger started 2015 in Double-A and wasn't playing every day despite a .281 average. So he volunteered to go to High-A Visalia to play every day, and he hit .332 with .999 OPS.
"Those are the kind of kids you like," Hale said. "It didn't matter where he was playing, he just wanted to play and get at-bats."
With his ability to play all three outfielder positions, Haniger is expected to get consistent at-bats with the D-backs for the foreseeable future. He will start in center field on Wednesday.
