Minor league baseball player hospitalized after ‘scary incident’ hit by backswing

SYRACUSE, NY (AP) — Buffalo Bisons catcher Payton Henry was admitted to hospital Friday night after he was hit by a batter’s backswing and carried off the field on a stretcher.

Henry was hit in the back of the head by Syracuse Mets third baseman Pablo Reyes in the seventh inning. He fell to the ground immediately after contact and was cared for by athletic trainers.

After the injury, the officials decided not to continue the game.

The Bisons said later that night that Henry was “awake and reasonably responsive” at a nearby hospital, calling the injury a “frightening incident.”

The Mets led 4-2 at NBT Bank Stadium when the game was called off.

The Bisons said Henry, 26, is under investigation and they will provide more information as it becomes available.

Henry was selected by the Milwaukee Brewers in the sixth round of the 2016 amateur draft. He played in college at BYU.