CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) - Former high school standout J.R. House is showing steady improvement in his latest attempt to return to a major-league baseball roster.

House started the 2010 season with the Atlantic League's Newark Bears, batting .345 in 16 games. The New York Mets signed the 30-year-old catcher in May and assigned him to the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons.

House is batting .316 in 25 games for the Bisons with one homer and 12 RBIs. He's had six hits in his last 14 at-bats.

House has played in 32 major league games with Pittsburgh, Houston and Baltimore. His last big-league appearance came in 2008.

House once held the national high school record for career passing yards and threw 10 touchdown passes for Nitro High in the 1998 state championship game. He briefly was a backup quarterback at West Virginia University in 2005.