The Most Intriguing Mets’ 2026 Draft Picks

The 2026 MLB Draft is complete, and likely the Mets’ chances of going to the postseason too. However, 2026 hasn’t all been bad. One of the most exciting storylines has been the emergence of players like Carson Benge, AJ Ewing and Zac Thornton.

The Mets find themselves looking to get younger. They now have a whole new crop of players entering the farm system. Let’s take a look at a handful who jump off the page.

Carson Wiggins, RHP

Yes, it’s the first rounder, but Carson Wiggins is easily the most fascinating pick of the Mets’ draft. Wiggins is still on his way back from internal brace surgery on his elbow, but when healthy, he is the type of arm who can throw 102 mph. MLB Pipeline has him with an 80-grade fastball—you can’t teach that. Baseball America has it at 70-grade. His slider is filthy, too.

It’s a “reach” in the sense that Wiggins was drafted at No. 27, much higher than he was ranked on MLB Pipeline (No. 88) and Baseball America (No. 104), but Wiggins’ true talent is among the best in the draft. His concerns lie with his health, but if he can return from his elbow surgery strong and stay healthy, then the Mets just got a premier talent at a spot in the draft that’s not often possible. It’s a big swing, but if it works, a potentially fantastic one.

Aiden Robbins, OF

After “reaching” for Wiggins in the first round, the Mets snagged Aiden Robbins—MLB’s No. 29 and Baseball America’s No. 28 prospect—at pick No. 92. The third-round pick was the Mets’ second selection after forfeiting their second-round pick by signing Bo Bichette this offseason. Robbins “fell” likely due to some contact concerns. MLB Pipeline is more bullish, giving him a 55-contact and 55-power grade, but Baseball America has him at just 45-contact and 50-power. His issue is a tendency to chase the soft stuff, which both outlets agree on.

The interesting part about Robbins will be where his bat-to-ball skills fall. If he can handle the soft stuff enough, then he can tap into his power and continue to crush the hard stuff. If not, then his bat probably won’t play in a corner outfield, which is where he’s likely ticketed. The other notable thing is he’s a right-handed hitter, which is becoming increasingly rare among outfielders, and something the Mets won’t necessarily have in the future (Juan Soto, Carson Benge and AJ Ewing are all left-handed hitting).

Shane Sdao, LHP

The left-handed pitcher resurgence is happening in the Mets’ farm system. Shane Sdao is now joining the party. Even higher-ranked by Baseball America than Wiggins, Sdao has good velocity, a deep arsenal and above-average control. His fastball sits in the low-to-mid 90s but can touch 97 mph, and he’s a year removed from Tommy John surgery himself, so there’s potential for him to regain what he had before. He has a cutter, slider, curveball and changeup to go with it, and can locate them all. Lefties are always more valuable, and a lefty with good velo and control is rare.

Luke McNeillie, RHP

There’s a recent history of the Mets taking former college relief pitchers and stretching them out into starters. Luke McNeillie is just that. He even went to Florida and was drafted in the fifth round, so he’ll be looking to follow almost the same path as Christian Scott. He throws hard, has a good slider, but has some walk issues. If he can make the transition to starter, he has mid-rotation ceiling, but it’ll be a difficult task.

Aidan Keenan, RHP

The Mets have taken a lot of pitchers with high-velocity fastballs this draft, and Aidan Keenan fits the bill. Joe Doyle of Over-Slot has Keenan sitting 96-99 mph with his heater and three other pitches and solid control. There’s a super high ceiling here with the seventh-round pick, and he’ll join the ever-growing group of Mets pitching prospects in the development pipeline. It’s impossible to predict how a player will take to pro ball, but Keenan has enticing tools.

AJ Krodel, RHP

I’m going with the opinion of people way smarter than I. Jacob Rudner of Baseball America says AJ Krodel is interesting, and that’s good enough for me. If he can add some velo to go with his natural ability to spin the baseball, his stock will rise a good amount.

Jacob Madrid, C

The Mets signed their 13th-rounder Jacob Madrid, one of the two high school players the organization drafted. This is another instance of trusting those who know more. Madrid was featured in an MLB Pipeline story about the most interesting Day 2 picks. A great defensive catcher, Madrid is the type of prospect where, if he’s even an average hitter, he’ll be a good player.