Extended Spring Training is terrible. Days are early, long, and hot. The competition — which in the Mets’ case consists of solely the Cardinals and Marlins squads — is somewhere between the rookie ball level and semi-pro. The games theoretically last nine innings, but the teams may decide to play less, or even skip a half inning. Batters may hit out of turn, and if a player is subbed out, there are no rules stating he may not return.

No one wants to be there. As a player, it means the organization felt you weren’t ready to crack a spot on a full season team, or there simply wasn’t space, and you were the odd man out. You could be there because of an injury, or because it’s your last chance to prove that you’re worthy of a professional contract.

Of course there’s only one way to make the time go by faster, and that is to perform. Fortunately for these players, they’ve done just that through the first month of what is known as simply, ‘extended.’

Desmond Lindsay, OF

Last year’s second round pick, Lindsay hit over .300 in 21 GCL games in 2015, before getting a taste of Brooklyn at the end of the season. This year, the 19-year-old outfielder was slated to possible make his full season debut with the Columbia Fireflies. However, a minor calf injury and a couples pitches to the head held him back in Florida.

With no remnants of the injuries, Lindsay is seeing normal playing time in extended. His best game came on May 3, when he went 3 for 4 with two runs scored and two driven in. In the fourth inning, he took the first pitch deep for a home run. Lindsay managed only one home run in his first 114 professional at bats last year.

As of now, it is believed that Lindsay will begin the 2016 season with the Brooklyn Cyclones. That path should be the best for him, as there is no glaring need to rush him through the system at his age. Regardless of his initial assignment, Lindsay will be playing in Columbia soon, as long as his bat continues to be strong.

Patrick Mazeika, C

Mazeika shouldn’t be on this list, but elbow soreness in March held him back in Florida instead of starting the season in Columbia. Fortunately for him, he’s back with the Fireflies now, and should only contribute to an already strong lineup.

The 22-year-old backstop proved he was already an advanced hitter in 2015 with Kingsport, when he put up a .354/.451/.540 slash line, and battled teammate Kevin Kaczmarski for the Appalachian League batting crown. In extended, Mazeika picked up right where he left off. As the most experienced player in the lineup, he had a day to remember on May 12, when he went deep in the first inning and again in the sixth.

Angel Manzanarez, SS

Manzanarez is in an interesting case, because of the lack of information on him, and the decent numbers he put up last year in the Dominican Summer League. The diminutive (6’0″, 152) Venezuelan was originally signed on September 2, 2014. In 2015, Manzanarez recorded 16 multi-hit games, and led the DSL Mets2 with 39 walks. His .392 on-base percentage was second on the team to only Sterling award winner Wagner Lagrange.

Still 19, it appears Manzanarez will get a chance in the United States this year. On April 30, he was single-handedly responsible for that day’s victory. He did not start the game, but pinch-hit in the sixth inning, doubled in a run on the second pitch he saw, and picked up another hit in the ninth. With the game tied in the bottom of the 10th, Manzanarez stepped to the plate and singled home the winning run off Cardinals right-hander Ramon Santos. Manzanarez finished the day with three hits and two runs batted in off the bench.

Other notables: SS Yeffry De Aza, C Brandon Brosher, 2B Dale Burdick

De Aza, 19, has drawn praise from coaches this spring for his defense at shortstop and also the strong arm he has shown off. He hit .313/.343/.383 in his stateside debut in 2015 for the GCL Mets.

Highlight pitching performance: RHP Adonis Uceta has impressed the coaches in Florida so far. His most dominant outing came on May 3, when he got the start against the Marlins, a fired in two hitless innings. On 22 pitches, the 22-year-old struck out four batters, including Miami’s number 15 prospect Garvis Lara and number 30 Justin Twine. The one batter to reach against Uceta — via a first inning walk — was later picked off. After an excellent showing in Kingsport a year ago, Uceta shoud be a key component to Brooklyn’s 2016 rotation.

In addition to the majority of the prep players selected by the Mets in the 2016 draft, a number of 2015 DSL Mets are already playing in the United States, and should be with the Gulf Coast League team this year.

These players include pitchers Enmanuel Berihuete, Yeudy Colon, Luis De Los Santos, Nicolas Debora, Rafael Encarnacion, Misael Familia, Jose Geraldo, Carlos Hernandez, Ramon Laguerre, Jesus Lugo, Richard Reina, Boris Sanchez, and Ezequiel Zabaleta.

Hitters include catchers Domingo Martinez, Carlos Sanchez, and Juan Uriarte, infielders Alejandro Diaz, Kenny Hernandez, Manzanarez, Luis Montero, Hansel Moreno, Rigoberto Terrazas, and Pedro Ventura, in addition to outfielders Ranfy Adon, Grabiel Jimenez, and Lagrange.