Laxton had his first taste of the Big Leagues during the 1970 season as a member of the Philadelphia Phillies, for whom he’d appear in two games for, not factoring in a decision with a bloated 13.50 earned run average over two innings pitched.
He’d appear in 18 games for the San Diego padres in 1971, going 0-2, before playing in the Minors through the 1973 season, finally getting back to the Majors in 1974 with 30 appearances, posting a record of 0-1 with an ERA at 4.03 in 44.2 innings.
He’d spend all of 1975 in the Minors again before appearing in 26 games for the Detroit Tigers in 1976, going 0-5 with a 4.09 ERA in 94.2 innings pitched.
That Winter, he’d be selected by the new Seattle Mariners franchise as the 50th pick in the expansion draft, which would finally give him a Topps card, a 70’s style airbrush jammie that left a lot to be desired.
Nevertheless, Laxton had himself a card, and would go on to post a record of 3-2 over 43 games before getting traded to the Cleveland Indians in September for catcher Ray Fosse.
In what turned out to be the last Big League action he’d see, Laxton appeared in two games for Cleveland in that last month of the 1977 season, throwing 1.2 innings to a 0-0 record and 5.40 ERA, closing out his time in the Majors.
All told, he finished with a record of 3-10 along with an ERA at 4.73 over 121 appearances and 243.1 innings of work.
