One of the top base stealers in the Orioles’ chain, T.J. Baxter has provided one of the sparks for the Shorebirds’ offense this year with an ability to get himself into scoring position. Although he’s slowed down the pace in recent weeks, his 28 steals still puts him in the top 15 leaguewide.
The outfielder, first baseman, and designated hitter has proven to be relatively versatile as well, filling in gaps in the lineup and allowing other players a bit of rest. And after a July slump (he hit just .219 in 17 games) a 7-for-21 homestand against Lexington may have shaken him out of the doldrums and reignited his bat. He clobbered his 7th home run of the season late in the final game, a 10-3 loss.
The 24th round pick in 2008 out of the University of New Orleans (and New Jersey native, so trips to Lakewood are like a homecoming for him) spent the previous two seasons with Aberdeen before making the jump to full-season ball this year. And while his overall batting average is down from the .280 range he kept with the IronBirds, he’s managed to maintain an OPS (on-base percentage + slugging percentage) of remarkable consistency, varying between .720 and .724 over the course of his career (.700 is about average.) He’s lost a touch of on-base percentage this year but has more power to make up for it. He’s improved on his stolen base totals each year, too.
However, T.J.’s pro career could be at a crossroads as he is one of the older players on the Shorebirds’ roster – he’ll turn 25 in December. Obviously spending a second season at Aberdeen (although it was a pretty successful one) put him a little behind in development, so he may need a solid finish to assure him a place in the organization next season. With Frederick being a little short-handed in the outfield and first base, though, there’s a chance he could yet move up this season for a short stint and see how he fares at that level.
