Late 2000's Mets Utility Player: Mike Hessman (2010)

Michael Steven Hessman was born March 5th, 1978 in Fountain Valley, California. The six foot five inch, two hundred fifteen pound right hand hitter was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in 1996. From 1997 through 2002 the big guy hit 19 or more HRs each season in the minor leagues.

 In 2001 & 2002 he blasted 26 HRs in each season. The power also came with low batting averages as well as a lot of strike outs, including six straight minor league seasons of 125 or more strike outs. 

In late August of 2003 he was brought up to the Braves big league club & in his second game hit a 9th inning pinch hit HR against the New York Mets. The HR came against Mike Stanton bringing the Braves within a run, although the Mets prevailed 6-5. He hit another HR two games later & it would be his last for the season. In 21 at bats he hit .286 with two HRs & three RBIs. 

 In 2004 he made the club out of Spring Training but was back down in the minors by July 1st hitting 2 HRs batting just .130. He spent two seasons in the minors, then signed on with the Detroit Tigers.

Hessman played in less than twenty games each season batting 296 in 2008. Previously in 51 at bats (17 games) during 2007 he hit 4 HRs and drove in 12 runs with the Tigers.
 In 2008 Hessman was a member of the U.S. Olympic & hit 34 HRs for the AAA Toledo Mud Hens. In an early September game he played all nine positions in a game for the AAA Toledo Mud Hens. In December of 2009 he signed with the New York Mets as a free agent. At AAA Buffalo, he hit .274 leading the Bison's with 18 HRs & tying for the team lead in RBIs along with Russ Adams with 58. Hessman was brought up to the Mets at the end of July 2010 debuting as a pinch hitter on July 27th.

The next day he got a start & Hessman drove in two runs with a double against the St. Louis Cardinals. Albert Pujols would drive in the winning run to defeat the Mets in extra innings.

On August 5th Hessman hit a three run HR against the Philadelphia Phillies although the Mets still lost the game 7-5. He never got his batting average back up over the .200 mark through the seasons. Overall he played in 32 games being mostly used as a pinch hitter for the Mets batting .127 with one HR & six RBIs. On the field he played eight games at third base & six games at first base. 

After the season he refused a minor league assignment & was granted free agency. He then went on to play the 2011 season in Japan for the Orix Buffaloes in their Pacific League.

In 2012 he signed with the Houston Astros & had to play in the minor leagues, as he hit 35 HRs with 78 RBIs, batting .231 at AAA Oklahoma City. In 2013 he played for the Cincinnati Reds & Detroit Tigers minor leagues.

In five MLB seasons he hit .188 with 14 HRs 8 doubles 33 RBIs & a .272 on base % in 109 games.