From franchise cornerstones to missed opportunities, we take a look at some of the Mets’ most notable draft picks from 2015 to 2024.
With the MLB Draft just around the corner, it’s the perfect time to look back at some of the Mets’ most memorable picks from the past ten years. While not every player becomes a star—or even a contributor—in the majors, the draft remains baseball’s ultimate exercise in prediction. Now, as we gear up for the next batch of potentially-memorable Mets, let’s rewind and take a quick look at the franchise’s most notable picks since 2015.
Homegrown stars
The secret to developing sustained success in the majors? It starts with homegrown talent. Year after year, teams like the Dodgers, Braves, and the Astros—built on smart scouting and drafting—seemingly always top the standings.
No Mets player is a better example of this idea than the Polar Bear himself. Pete Alonso (2016, Round 2, Pick 64) was taken out of the University of Florida as a power-hitting first baseman with head-turning potential. Despite not being a first-rounder, he quickly rose through the Mets’ system and exploded onto the scene with a record-breaking rookie season in 2019, earning National League Rookie of the Year honors.
Alonso isn’t alone in this category, though, as other major contributors drafted and developed by the Mets include: David Peterson (2017, Round 1, Pick 20), Brett Baty (2019, Round 1, Pick 12), Mark Vientos (2017, Round 2, Pick 59), and Tylor Megill (2018, Round 8, Pick 230).
The ones that got away
Making good choices in the draft is always a plus, but holding on to the right pieces is just as important.
For example, take Pete Crow-Armstrong (2020, Round 1, Pick 19), out of Harvard-Westlake high school, who was once a high-upside outfielder taken for his elite defense and potential at the plate. Unfortunately, his Mets career was over almost as soon as it began. After just six stellar games at rookie ball in 2019, Crow-Armstrong was dealt to the Cubs in a now-memorable 2021 deadline deal that sent both Javier Báez and Trevor Williams to the Mets.
Fast forward to 2025, after just two years of development in the minors, PCA leads the National League with 4.8 fWAR, pairing world-class defense with a .272/.309/.550 slash line. Now, to the grumbling of many Mets faithful, PCA is set to represent the Chicago Cubs in this year’s All-Star Game.
Another such success story is Shane McClanahan, who was drafted by the Mets in the 26th round in 2015 but went unsigned. Re-drafted by the Rays in 2018, McClanahan now has two All-Star appearances (2022, 2023) and a top-10 Cy Young finish under his belt.
The up-and-comers
Thankfully, not every draft story ends in regret for our Mets. The team has quietly built a promising crop of talent in the minors, with several of their recent draft picks starting to gain attention on a national level.
Four recent Mets draftees currently sit among the top 100 prospects in baseball on MLB Pipeline’s list, and all four appeared on the Baseball Prospectus top 101 list coming into this season.
- Jett Williams (2022, Round 1, Pick 14): A dynamic shortstop out of Rockwall-Heath High School (TX), currently ranked 45th on the MLB Pipeline list.
- Jonah Tong (2022, Round 7, Pick 209): A late-round steal from Georgia Premier High, with a fastball-slider combo featuring elite movement, ranked 59th.
- Carson Benge (2024, Round 1, Pick 19); A polished college bat from Oklahoma State, already showing advanced plate discipline, ranked 74th.
- Nolan McLean (2023, Round 3, Pick 91): Another Oklahoma State product, a former two-way standout with real upside on the mound, ranked 76th.
This is great news for Mets fans—if even just some of these prospects pan out, this next wave of talent could bolster an already-bright future for this iteration of the Mets.
With a mix of homegrown heroes, painful what-ifs, and rising stars on the horizon, the Mets’ recent draft history has been anything but boring. And now, with the 2025 MLB Draft nearly here, the next chapter of the Mets’ story is set to be written. Will the Mets land their next franchise cornerstone? A hidden gem in the later rounds? There’s only one way to find out: letting the draft begin.