TRENTON, NJ – It’s a very rare occurrence when a player moves up a class in an organization and improves.

But the Mets top outfield prospect, Lastings Milledge, is proving it can be done.

The 20 year-old 2003 first round draft pick was called up to AA Binghamton from Single A St. Lucie on July 11 and is hitting .337 with four home runs and 24 RBI. That’s an improvement over the .303 with four home runs and 22 RBI he had in a little over three months in Florida.

Even with those numbers, it still wasn’t easy for the outfielder.

“I made changes and there were adjustments I had to make,” Milledge said.  “It’s a different style of ball played here. I had to train myself into being a little bit different ballplayer.”

That included adjusting to the off-speed pitch and a diet of breaking balls, which Milledge seems to have no problems with.

His numbers are also getting the attention of other teams in baseball. The outfielder was part of trade rumors at the deadline, even ones that included All-Star Manny Ramirez going to the Mets. Seeing your name attached to trade rumors would bother some players, but not Milledge.

“All those teams were doing was throwing rumors out there and seeing if the Mets would bite on it,” he said. “There were rumors for three teams and I can’t go to three teams.”

Also, because of his skill, Milledge will be playing in the World Cup for Team USA over the next few weeks and in the Arizona Fall League after the season.

And all this attention has given the Palmetto, FL native a little swagger, which he freely admits.

“[The Mets] drafted me in the first round, so I have a little cockiness in me,” he said, but also knows that there is some hard work involved. “They are going to give me an opportunity, so I have to work better at getting the opportunity.”

If he keeps playing like this, the Mets will easily find a place for him in the big league lineup. But don’t tell Milledge where he is going to play. Even with Carlos Beltran in center well into the next decade, the outfield prospect wants the Mets high priced signing’s position.

“I never played a day of right and never played a day of left,” Milledge said. “So if I haven’t moved now, I don’t think I would move a day in my career. I will make the move if I have to. [Centerfield] is where they drafted me at and that’s where [the Mets] want me in the big leagues. They are still playing me in centerfield, so that’s that.”

Look out Carlos, there’s someone looking to take your job.

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