Team management
In 1996, Traxler joined the independent-league Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks for their inaugural 1996 season. According to Fargo manager Doug Simunic, Traxler "kind of got us started as an organization. He was one of the first guys we signed and he showed a lot of guys how things were supposed to be done." That year, Traxler was one of the top hitters in the Northern League, batting .335 (fifth) with 110 hits (fifth), 16 doubles, and 16 home runs while driving in 75 runs (tied for fifth with Peter Kuld) and scoring 73 times (sixth) in 83 games. In 1997, he followed with a .298 average, 12 doubles, three home runs, 37 RBI, and 29 runs scored in 42 games. With the team not doing as well as it had the year before, the RedHawks decided to release Traxler on July 17, along with six other players. Team management felt that Traxler, who typically served as the cleanup hitter, was not getting enough clutch hits. Traxler said of the release, "I’m not bitter about it, just give me a reason. Give me a real reason." He finished the season with the Northern League's Sioux Falls Canaries, batting .313 with 16 runs scored, 42 hits, three home runs, and 21 RBI in 37 games. In 79 games combined between the two teams, he batted .304 with 45 runs scored, 95 hits, six home runs, and 58 RBI.