Marcus Walden's promotion to the Toronto Blue Jays in 2014 came with mixed feelings. After nearly seven years, he celebrated with a Father's Day gift of his first big league jersey and received honors in his hometown. Yet, despite these celebrations, Walden's experience was unique; he never played in a game at the major league level. Numerous players share this sentiment, called up but never participating, leaving them in a state of recognition without true belonging in the sport.
In the history recognized by Major League Baseball, 23,522 players have been called up to the highest level of play and participated in at least one game for their team.
Hundreds of players were called up to the majors, wore their team's uniform, had their names on the lineup card, but never played in a game before being sent back down.
These players exist in an odd limbo, recognized as major leaguers but never having crossed the threshold of actually playing in a game.
Ryan Bol expressed the conflicting emotions of players who wore the uniform without playing: "It feels like yes, but it also feels like no."
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