At one time considered one of the most exciting players in baseball, speedy Reyes and his omnipresent grin play shortstop for the New York Mets—that is, until he was traded to the Miami Marlins in 2011.

Born in the Dominican Republic, Reyes signed with the Mets in 1999 at age 16. He rapidly became a star in the team's minor league system, and made his Major League debut in 2003. 2006 proved to be a breakout season, as Reyes hit .300, drove in 80 runs, and swiped 64 bases; the performance earned him his first selection to the All-Star Game as a starter. He cashed in after the season, upgrading his $400,000 salary with a four-year, $23.25 million contract extension that will keep him in a Mets uniform through 2011. Much to Mets' fans chagrin, after a stellar if not injury laden 2011 season, Reyes agreed to a six year-$108 million dollar contract with the Miami Marlins

Although he's an excellent fielder and can even hit with a fair bit of power, Reyes is best known for his blinding speed. He led the majors in 2006 with 17 triples and 64 stolen bases, becoming the first Met ever to record back-to-back 60-steal seasons. He did even better in 2007, breaking Roger Cedeño's Mets record for the most stolen bases in a single season. Unfortunately, his performance—and exuberance—flagged in the last month of the season, contributing to the team's historic meltdown at the 11th hour. [Image via Getty]