Who

Considered one of the most exciting players in baseball, speedy Reyes and his omnipresent grin play shortstop for the New York Mets.

Backstory

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. His first two seasons, however, were less than stellar, marred by injuries, positions changes, and doubts about whether he'd ever live up to his potential. But 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 2010.

Of note

Baseball writers and fantasy players alike believe Reyes is destined for superstardom, and he will be the centerpiece as the aging Mets retool the team around younger players. A typical superlative comes from Mets announcer Gary Cohen, who calls Reyes "the most fabulously gifted player in the game, and the most exciting player baseball has had so far in this century."

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.

For the record

A fan of reggaeton, Reyes teamed up with two friends to record two tracks in a music studio, one of which, "La Rompe Discoteca," played prior to his at-bats at Shea. Until recently, Reyes also appeared in "Learn Spanish with Professor Reyes," a taped skit that taught fans a Spanish word or phrase from the stadium's Jumbotron. He discontinued the bit in 2008 as part of his "new, more stoic approach," according to SI. He has, however, kept up his ridiculously elaborate, choreographed handshakes with his teammates.

The look

When he's not wearing a uniform, Reyes can usually be found wearing designer jeans, loud shirts, Gucci slip-ons, and an assortment of man-jewelry.

Personal

Reyes lives in a house on Long Island with his girlfriend, his parents, his teenage sister, his two daughters, Katerine and Ashley, his uncle and his cousin. It's a big house.