Mike Baxter

Baxter's 2012 campaign is remembered for his spectacular catch to preserve Johan Santana's no-hitter; the result of which was a dislocated joint between his right collarbone and sternum, and torn rib cartilage on his right side. The injury sidelined Baxter for nearly two months. After he returned, his hot start was a faded memory, as his batting average dropped from .323 to .263 at season's end. Baxter will get a shot with the Mets this spring at filling a reserve outfield spot, where he would see most of his at-bats against righties.Baxter's 2012 campaign is remembered for his spectacular catch to preserve Johan Santana's no-hitter; the result of which was a dislocated joint between his right collarbone and sternum, and torn rib cartilage on his right side. The injury sidelined Baxter for nearly two months. After he returned, his hot start was a faded memory, as his batting average dropped from .323 to .263 at season's end. Baxter will get a shot with the Mets this spring at filling a reserve outfield spot, where he would see most of his at-bats against righties.

Baxter's 2012 campaign is remembered for his spectacular catch to preserve Johan Santana's no-hitter; the result of which was a dislocated joint between his right collarbone and sternum, and torn rib cartilage on his right side. The injury sidelined Baxter for nearly two months. After he returned, his hot start was a faded memory, as his batting average dropped from .323 to .263 at season's end. Baxter will get a shot with the Mets this spring at filling a reserve outfield spot, where he would see most of his at-bats against righties.Baxter's 2012 campaign is remembered for his spectacular catch to preserve Johan Santana's no-hitter; the result of which was a dislocated joint between his right collarbone and sternum, and torn rib cartilage on his right side. The injury sidelined Baxter for nearly two months. After he returned, his hot start was a faded memory, as his batting average dropped from .323 to .263 at season's end. Baxter will get a shot with the Mets this spring at filling a reserve outfield spot, where he would see most of his at-bats against righties.

Baxter, a Queens native, was claimed by his hometown Mets from San Diego in August after missing all but 11 games in Triple-A due to a broken thumb in March. Baxter will try and secure a roster spot this spring, but keep in mind that his best minor league numbers came as a 25-year-old in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League in 2010.

Baxter, an outfielder/first baseman, spent 2010 at Triple-A Portland, where he displayed nice power and speed, hit for average and got on base at a decent clip. At 26, he's too old to be considered a prospect and has nothing left to prove in the minors. He should be a decent bench option for the Padres in 2011. If pressed into a starting role, he could surprise, but the Padres have a large cast of characters battling for at-bats making Baxter a potential in-season waiver option in deeper formats depending on how things break.