Short Time New York Mets First Baseman: Brian Buchanan (2004)
In 1994 he made All American batting .396 with 22 HRs & 66 RBIs. He was selected as a number one pick for the A.L. New York team (the 24th pick overall). He remained in their organization through 1997 when he hit .309 at AA Norwich.
He was traded to the Minnesota Twins organization making it to the big leagues by May 2000. He debuted against the Athletics in Oakland playing right field. In Mid June he was sent back down after hitting .224 with one HR & four RBIs. He returned in September then made the club out of Spring Training the next season, playing 69 games while batting .274.
The next year he was traded to the San Diego Padres for Jason Bartlett.
He was the Padres main utility player in 2003, getting into 115 games batting .263 with 8 HRs & 29 RBIs. On May 10th he hit a two run HR against Al Leiter & the New York Mets in a 4-2 Mets win. On August 3rd he broke up an extra inning 2-2 tie in Philadelphia, with a three run HR off Jose Mesa in the 10th inning for the game winner.
In August of 2004 he was granted free agency & signed with the New York Mets. Buchanan debuted with the Mets as a pinch hitter, going hitless, on August 26th at Shea Stadium against his old Padres team mates.
On August 29th he played in his second & final game as a New York Met. He batted sixth & played a full game at first base going 0-2 with a walk in a 10-2 Mets loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. He remained on the club until October when he was granted free agency.
He played in the Minnesota Twins, Cincinnati Reds & Kansas City Royals organizations through 2009. He also had stops in Japan & in an Independent League before beginning a managerial career.
In his five year MLB playing career he batted .258 with 198 hits 32 HRs 37 doubles a .328 on base % & 103 RBIs in 346 games.
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