Anthony Vito Recker is an American professional baseball catcher in the Cleveland Indians organization.
Education
Born in Allentown, Pennsylvania, Recker attended Catasauqua High School where he also starred in football, and later continued his baseball career at Alvernia College, a small National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III school in Reading, Pennsylvania.
Career
He previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Oakland Athletics, Chicago Cubs and New York Mets. Amateur career
Professional career
= Oakland Athletics 2005 Draft
Recker was drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the 18th round of the 2005 Major League Baseball Draft out of Alvernia College. He began catching and, on occasion, playing first base professionally.
2011
On August 23, 2011, he was promoted to the major leagues for the first time.
He was named to the All-PCL Team in 2011. = Chicago Cubs 2012
Recker was traded to the Cubs for Blake Lalli on August 27, 2012.
= New York Mets 2013
On October 24, 2012, Recker was designated for assignment. He was claimed off waivers by the New York Mets.
He started his first game for the Mets on April 7, 2013 in a 4-3 victory over the Miami Marlins.
Although Recker is a position player, he pitched the ninth inning for the New York Mets to preserve their regular pitchers in a lopsided game on June 30, 2013, where the Mets were defeated by the Washington Nationals by a score of 13-2. He was optioned to the Triple-A Las Vegas 51s on August 19. He was later called back up on August 28 as a back up to Travis d"Arnaud due to the trade that sent catcher John Buck and outfielder Marlon Byrd to the Pittsburgh Pirates.
2014
Recker made the Opening Day roster in 2014 as a backup to Mets" catcher Travis d"Arnaud.
On April 4, he threw out Cincinnati Reds" young speedster Billy Hamilton who was trying to steal second base. 2015
On May 14, Recker had his first career multi-homer game against the Chicago Cubs, a game that the Mets went on to lose.
On November 6, Recker was outrighted off the 40-man roster making him a free agent. Recker hit.125 with two home runs, five RBIs in 80 at-bats in 32 games in 2015.
From 2013 to 2015 as a Met, Recker hit 15 home runs in 140 games.
However, Recker did manage to hit 8 home runs in just 108 plate appearances while playing for the Las Vegas 51s. = Cleveland Indians 2016
On November 27, 2015, Recker signed a minor league contract with the Cleveland Indians, including an invitation to spring training.