5
2011
MMO Flashback: The Best First Round Picks In Mets History
An article by 
MMO Flashback: Originally Posted on March 29, 2011
Every Major League franchise has had their share of first round busts ever since 1965 when baseball adopted the First-Year Player Draft or the Amateur Draft or the June Draft or the Rule 4 Draft, choose your poison.
The Mets have drafted 57 players in the first round, 24 of which were pitchers and 17 of those were of the right handed variety. If you’re trying to do the math and wonder how they acquired 57 first-rounders in 45 years, the total includes picks that were received as compensation for losing players to free agency like David Wright who was our reward when Mike Hampton decided to seek out a better education for his children in Colorado. Could you imagine Wright in a Rockies uniform?
The Mets first ever draft pick was left-handed pitcher Les Rohr, who they selected with the second overall pick. Rohr’s career lasted just six games after tearing ligaments in his arm during a game against the Astros. That draft wasn’t a total bust however, as the Mets got lucky when they drafted a tall, lanky kid from Alvin, Texas in the 12th round – that’s right – Nolan Ryan.
If you thought they would fare better in the following year’s draft, forget it. The Mets had the number one pick in the country in 1966 and used it to select catcher Steve Chilcott, ahead of second overall pick Reggie Jackson. The Mets gave Chilcott a $75,000 signing bonus and in return he became the first number-one pick ever to retire before reaching the majors. Yankees pitcher Brien Taylor would match this dubious feat 35 years later.
Enough about first round busts, lets talk about some first round success stories. One of those success stories was drafted in 1967, when the Mets would finally redeem themselves after the Les Rohr and Steve Chilcott debacles. he checks in at number three, but here are my top ten Mets first round draft picks including the statistics they compiled during their Mets careers.
Mets Top 10 First-Round Draft Picks
#10 Gregg Jefferies – Drafted in 1985
.274 – 42 HR – 205 RBI
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#9 Jay Payton – Drafted in 1994
.278 – 33 HR – 278 RBI
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# 8 Aaron Heilman - Drafted in 2001
4.24 ERA – 22 W – 33 L – 9 SV
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#7 Wally Backman – Drafted in 1977
.283 – 359 R – 106 SB
1986 World Series Ring
◊ ◊ ◊
#6 Lee Mazzilli – Drafted in 1973
.264 – 68 HR – 404 R – 353 RBI – 152 SB
1986 World Series Ring
◊ ◊ ◊
# 5 Bobby Jones – Drafted in 1991
4.13 ERA – 74 W – 56 L – 714 K
◊ ◊ ◊
# 4 David Wright – Drafted in 2001
.305 – 169 HR – 664 RBI – 138 SB
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# 3 Jon Matlack – Drafted in 1967
3.03 ERA – 82 W – 81 L – 1,023 K
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#2 Dwight Gooden – Drafted in 1982
3.10 ERA - 157 W – 85 L – 1,875 K
1986 World Series Ring
◊ ◊ ◊
#1 Darryl Strawberry – Drafted in 1980
.263 – 252 HR – 733 RBI – 191 SB
1986 World Series Ring
About the Author: Joe DeCaro
I'm a lifelong Mets fan who loves writing and talking about the Amazins' 24/7. From the Miracle in 1969 to the magic of 1986, and even the near misses in '73 and '00, I've experienced it all - the highs and the lows. I started Mets Merized Online in 2005 to feed my addiction. Follow me on Twitter @metsmerized.
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Aaron Heilman should be at the bottom of this list, lol.
Nice to see the guys on this list. It makes me wish I grew up twenty years ago.
Doc,DOC, DOC
After almost 50 years of draft picks, I think it’s kind of sad that Bobboy Jones is our 5th best. Also to not have produced on 200 game winner or 2000 hits position player is pretty sad. No wonder we only have one player in the hall of fame with a Mets cap.
Noticing a lack of Billy Beane. 1 of 4 first round picks the Mets had in 1980.
I’d have to put Pelfrey up their and drop ol gregg.
Interesting article Joe. One note about Jay Payton was that he was taken with a Supplementary pick too. Joe Mcilvaine let Sid Fernandez go (smart move) to the Orioles and selected Terrence Long at 20 and Payton at 29.
The 1994 draft that they were both selected in turned out to be one of the weakest in memory. Only 6 players in the first round (all drafted before Long) wound up with better careers (Walker, Hermanson, Grieve, Garciaparra, Koernerko, and Varitek) than he did and only 6 players total (3 picked before and 3 after) wound up with better careers than Jay Payton through the first 20 rounds or so (Garciaparra, Koernerko, Varitek – Glaus 2nd round, Pierzynski 3rd round, Javier Vazquez 5th round)
That draft also included the #1 overall selection Paul Wilson who got hurt as part of the generation K heartbreak.
It’s really hard to believe that only 3 of our top 10 first round draft choices were selected within the last 20 years and even at that, one was an overall average CFer and one was only a somewhat successful, non closer relief pitcher.
Since 1991 we have drafted 1-10 seven times, 11-20 4 times and 21-30 twice. We’ve also given away our #1 pick six times (Ventura, Zeile, Appier, Wagner, Alou, K-Rod) and picked up 4 first rounders by “losing” Sid, Olerud, Hampton and Glavine. We’ve also given away four # 2 picks (David Weathers, Cliff Floyd, Pedro Martinez and Jason Bay), and three third rounders (Roger Cedeno, Tom Glavine and Carlos Beltran)
In addition we gave away another first rounder and a supplementary pick along with Wagner in order to save his remaining salary, buyout and the bonus money those two picks (#20 and #36) would have gotten. All told about 5.5 Million saved.
Nice job and good to read something a little different and interesting too.
Strawberry at #1 and Wright at #5??? Were the selectors dyslexic?
Hitting the “Submit Comment” button before the thought is complete is not recommended. Before his career is completed I think Wright’s numbers will be better than Strawberry’s in most categories. He’s well on his way now.
Strawberry was pretty good, but never lived up to his potential. He was a spotty fielder and had problems with balls hit in the gap and balls hit in front of him. More than once I saw a ground ball hit to the outfield go through his legs. He was better on days when he didn’t go out the night before. He played 17 years but he was a star only the first nine of them. His last half was mediocre.
Strawberry’s career BA was .259, Wright’s is .305. The Strawman had a lot of power as is shown by his 335 HRs, or 1 in every 18.9 AB. Wright has so far 169 HRs, or 1 in every 25.7 AB. But Wright already has surpassed Straw in career doubles, hitting 1 in 16.8 ABs, while Straw has 1 in every 25.7 ABs. Wright’s stolen base success % is better: 76.7% to 69.1%
Wright on the other hand has been called a goody goody two-shoes, which may or may not be correct. In any case I think this season he’ll rid himself of any such views.
Also, the analysis didn’t address off-field contributions to the community and divisive behavior in the clubhouse and on airplanes. On a scale of 1-10, Strawberry gets a “3″ and Wright gets a “9″ in my opinion.
So who is better? You decide. I already did.
Thanks for the article. Good research.
The fact that Heilman is on the list – with his 22 – 33 9 saves stats speaks volumns about how bad the Mets first round picks were.
I would say, that of all those names listed, only David Wright actually lived up to his potential – and still does. Doc and Darryl were better then Wright during their shorten, drug induced disappointing careers.
I’d have to put Pelfrey up their and drop ol gregg