With the 2020 First Year Player Draft just around the corner, you can’t help but wonder who the Mets will take and if they will pan out. 

Prospects drafted into the New York Mets organization are entering a losing game, as only 14.8% of players drafted have made it to the major leagues. 

That number, however, does not take into account the round that the players were drafted in. If we look exclusively at rounds one through five, which happens to be the number of rounds in the 2020 MLB Draft, the percentage of Mets draftees to make the show increases dramatically to 43.7%. And, if we just look at first round players, the percentage is now advantageous at 73.1%.

The Mets had the number two pick in their first ever draft in 1965, grabbing left-handed pitcher Les Rohr, who played for the Mets briefly in the late 60’s before rupturing a tendon in his elbow and being released shortly afterwards.

In 1966, the Mets were allotted the first overall pick in the player draft, selecting catcher Steve Chilcott out of Antelope Valley High School in Lancaster, California. Unfortunately, Chilcott went on to become one of four players in history to be the first overall pick in the draft and never play a game in the majors.

The first success the Mets found with a first round draft pick came in 1967, when they drafted left-handed pitcher Jon Matlack fourth overall. Matlack would go on to win the Rookie of the Year award in 1972, and then helped lead the team to the World Series in 1973. He was also a three time All-Star.

Tim Foli, the first overall pick in the 1968 draft, was the first Mets first round draft pick to go on and win a World Series, doing so with the Pirates in 1979.

In 1973, the Mets selected outfielder Lee Mazzilli as the 14th overall pick. Mazzilli went on to play for five MLB teams over a 13-year career, winning the World Series with the Mets in 1986 and helping coach the Yankees to a championship in 2000. Mazzilli hit 93 home runs and drove in 460 RBI’s during his career. 

Every Mets first round draft pick from 1977 to 1985 made it to the major leagues in some fashion. Members of this group include Wally Backman, Hubie Brooks, Billy Beane, Gregg Jefferies, and Mets Hall of Famers Darryl Strawberry and Dwight Gooden, both of whom were essential pieces to the 1986 World Series winning team. 

The most recent chance the Mets had at the number one overall pick was in 1994, where they drafted right-handed pitcher Paul Wilson out of Florida State. 

Before the 2001 MLB Draft, the Mets lost Mike Hampton to free agency and were thus awarded a sandwich pick in the supplemental round that immediately follows the first round of picks. With that opportunity, the Mets selected high school third baseman David Wright, who, as we know, went on to become a seven time All-Star, Mets captain, and franchise record holder for numerous statistics.

More recent first round picks include Matt Harvey in 2010, Brandon Nimmo in 2011, Dominic Smith in 2013, and Michael Conforto in 2014. In 2018, the Mets took outfielder Jarred Kelenic as the sixth overall pick, who became a key piece in the trade with the Seattle Mariners that brought Robinson Cano and Edwin Diaz to New York. 

As the 2020 draft nears, many speculate that the Mets, who own the 19th pick, will take either a high school bat or a college arm. Keith Law of The Athletic has the Mets taking outfielder Austin Hendrick out of West Allegheny Senior High School in Pennsylvania. 

Of 21 total outfielders taken by the Mets in their franchise history, 16 of them have made the majors in one way or another. Ten of those 16 have amassed a career OPS of .700 or more. Long story short, the Mets have historically been good at drafting outfielders in the first round. 

When it comes to pitchers, the Mets are still quite successful. Of 31 pitchers who were chosen by the franchise in the first round, 21 have made it to the majors. Those included are Matlack, Tim Leary, Gooden, Scott Kazmir, Philip Humber, and Harvey.

The team has also recently brought in two additions to their scouting department. Eddie Bane was the Angels’ scouting director and is known best for drafting Mike Trout, who is now thought by most as the best player in baseball at the moment. The team also brought back Bryan Lambe, who was a front office member during the time Omar Minaya was the general manager.