The New York Mets look to salvage the series against the Red Sox Sunday afternoon before heading into a long, All-Star break. New York is continually struggling to score, as has been the case the last two days. A win Sunday would mean the Mets have gone 3-3 in their last six. A loss means New York enters the All-Star break 17 games below 500.

Mets Lineup

1. A.J. Ewing – CF
2. Juan Soto – DH
3. Francisco Lindor – SS
4. Eric Wagaman – 1B
5. Carson Benge – RF
6. Tyrone Taylor – LF
7. Luis Torrens – C
8. Brett Baty – 3B
9. Zack Short – 2B

Starting Pitcher: Zach Thornton

Zach Thornton returns to the big leagues. In his first two starts he allowed five runs over 10 1/3 innings from nine hits and three walks while striking out 10 batters.

His second major league start was great holding the Phillies to one run over six innings while striking out seven batters. Since then he has pitched 7 2/3 innings over two outings in Syracuse (Triple-A) allowing three runs, two earned. He was pulled after two perfect innings in his last start a few days ago with five strikeouts, in preparation for Sunday’s big league start.

With Kodai Senfa back in the bullpen, and the potential departure of Freddy Peralta looming via trade, there is room for Thornton to stick around in the big leagues if he does well this afternoon.

Red Sox Lineup

1. Anthony Siegler – 2B
2. Ceddane Rafaela – CF
3. Wilyer Abreu – RF
4. Romy Gonzalez – 1B
5. Caleb Durbin – 3B
6. Andruw Monasterio – SS
7. Jarren Duran – DH
8. Nate Eaton – LF
9. Connor Wong – C

Starting Pitcher: Payton Tolle

Payton Tolle has made 14 starts for the Red Sox totaling 80 1/3 innings with a 3.14 ERA, 3.39 FIP, 1.071 WHIP, and a 129 ERA+. Since the start of June, Tolle has made seven starts pitching 39 innings with a 3.69 ERA and 4.11 FIP.

In three of those starts he has allowed no runs over 19 innings, scattering 10 hits. In the other four starts he has allowed 16 runs over 20 innings. Which version of Tolle will the Mets see Sunday?

The only hitter on the Mets who has seen Payton Tolle is Zack Short (0-for-2, K).

Game Notes

Prior to Sunday’s game the Mets announced the following roster moves:

• LHP Zach Thornton has been recalled from Triple-A Syracuse.
• RHP Tobias Myers was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse following Saturday’s game.

The remainder of the MLB Draft begins Sunday at 11:00 am ET.

Three Things To Watch For

1. Getting hits with runners in scoring position (RISP). On Friday, the Mets recorded 10 hits but went 0-for-8 with RISP leaving seven runners on base. Saturday, the Mets did it again, going 0-for-8 with RISP and leaving nine on base. The Mets worked seven walks as a team but only mustered three hits.
2. Carson Benge stealing bases. Benge has stolen a bag in three consecutive games and four times in his last five games. His steal on July 7 was his first stolen base since June 18. Benge actually had only two stolen bases the entire month of June. More impressively, Benge hasn’t been caught stealing this month yet, a problem that has plagued the Mets this season.
3. The trade block. It’s still a bit early in the month for the deluge of trades the Mets are heading towards. Relievers on the Mets should almost all be available. A.J. Minter pitched in back-to-back days, so he should be unavailable today. Brooks Raley pitched for the first time since Wednesday yesterday pitching a clean inning. We still haven’t seen Luke Weaver from the start of the week as he continues his strong season. Tyrone Taylor has gone hitless in his last three at-bats over two games, after homering three times in five games. There is a non-zero chance that someone here will not be a Met after the All-Star Break.

The post Game Chat: Red Sox vs Mets, 1:40 P.M. appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The 2026 MLB Draft unconventionally began on Saturday this year. Saturday, in Philadelphia, featured picks number one through 135.

Meanwhile, the second day of the draft, which spans rounds five through 20, will be streamed on MLB.com, MLB TV, MLB+, beginning at 11:30 am ET.

In all, the Mets have a total draft pool of $6,730,900 (third-lowest in the majors). This lower figure is largely because their first pick was pushed back 10 spots for being over the luxury tax, and they lost their second and fourth highest picks due to signing Bo Bichette, who had the qualifying offer attached.

They did receive a fourth round pick when Edwin Díaz signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers after the Mets extended him the qualifying offer.

Follow along with every single one of their picks in our draft tracker below! The tracker will continuously be updated throughout the day. To find our draft thread from Saturday, please click here.

Carson Wiggins.

Round 1, Pick 27: Carson Wiggins, RHP

Ht: 6’5″ Wt: 215 lb. School: Arkansas Highest Ranking: #88 by MLB Pipeline

Quick Analysis:

Wiggins, 21, 6-foot-5 and 215 pounds, did not pitch for Arkansas this season after internal brace surgery. But he threw as hard as 102 mph before the procedure and was healthy for the draft combine.

Wiggins pitched 14 relief innings for Arkansas in 2025, allowing six runs (five earned) for a 3.21 ERA. He struck out 20, walked nine and hit a batter.

Slot Value: $3,466,500

Read our write-up here.

Round 3, Pick 92: Aiden Robbins, OF

Ht: 6’2″ Wt: 205 lb. School: Texas Highest Ranking: #28 by Baseball America

Quick Analysis:

A 21-year-old outfielder out of the University of Texas, Aiden Robbins also played two seasons at Seton Hall. Robbins slashed .333/.426/.696 (1.122 OPS) with 24 home runs and 64 RBIs in 60 games for the Longhorns this year. He stole 12 bases in 13 attempts. Robbins also worked 39 walks and struck out 65 times across 284 plate appearances.

Slot Value: $859,900

Read our write-up here.

Round 4, Pick 120: Shane Sdoa, LHP

Ht: 6’3″ Wt: 185 lb. School: Texas A&M Highest Ranking: #91 by Baseball America

Quick Analysis:

Shane Sdoa is a 22-year-old left-handed pitcher who had a tough year with the Texas A&M Aggies, pitching to a 7.03 ERA over 71 2/3 innings and coughing up 16 homers. He struck out 83 and walked 21. Sdao missed 2025 recovering from Tommy John surgery.

Slot Value: $645,100

Read our write-up here.

Round 5, Pick 152: Luke McNeillie, RHP

Ht: 6’3″ Wt: 200 lb. School: Florida Highest Ranking: #185 by MLB Pipeline

Quick Analysis:

McNeillie played his college ball at Florida. He posted a 3.97 ERA and 48 strikeouts across 34 innings of work in 2026. McNeillie primarily served out of the bullpen. He has a fastball that can reach 99 mph. Several think he can develop into a start professionally.

Slot Value: $472,500

Read our write-up here.

Round 6, Pick 181: Alex Petrovic, RHP

Ht: 6’5″ Wt: 235 lb. School: Auburn Highest Ranking: #313 by Baseball America

Quick Analysis:

Petrovic, another college arm, posted a strong 3.21 ERA and a 10-2 record across 17 starts and 92 2/3 innings in 2026. He is described as a “strike-thrower” as evident by the low walk rate (24 in 92 2/3 innings).

Slot Value: $364,600

Read our write-up here.

Round 7, Pick 210: Aidan Keenan, RHP

Ht: 6’2″ Wt: 202 lb. School: Stanford Highest Ranking: #346 by Baseball America

Quick Analysis:

Keenan made six starts (seven appearances) for the Stanford Cardinal this season. He posted a 5.82 ERA across 21 2/3 innings. He struggled with walks, walking 21, but did strike out 25. Keenan also made two appearances in the Cape Code League, allowing three runs and three hits over five innings with seven strikeouts and three walks.

Several said Keenan had a sensational combine.

Slot Value: $287,800

Read our write-up here.

Round 8, Pick 240: Landon Koenig, RHP

Ht: 6’6″ Wt: 245 lb. School: Mississippi Highest Ranking: #328 by Baseball America

Quick Analysis:

Koenig had a 6.35 ERA across 22 2/3 innings for Mississippi this past season. He had big strikeout numbers, punching out 33 over those 17 appearances, all in relief. He spent the two previous seasons at North Dakota State prior to transferring.

Slot Value: $232,100

Read our write-up here.

Round 9, Pick 270: Ryan Tayman, C

Ht: 6’2″ Wt: 210 lb. School: Cal Poly Highest Ranking: N/A

Quick Analysis:

The Mets finally went back to the position player well, selecting catcher Ryan Tayman with the 270th pick. Tayman had a sensational season for Cal Poly of the Big West. Tayman slashed .357/.447/.672 (1.119 OPS). He hit 18 home runs and had 38 extra-base hits total. He was named Co-Big West player of the year.

Slot Value: $207,200

Read our write-up here.

Nate Isler. (photo via Dartmouth Baseball on Instagram)

Round 10, Pick 300: Nate Isler, RHP

Ht: 6’6″ Wt: 235 lb. School: Dartmouth Highest Ranking: N/A

Quick Analysis:

New York continued their theme of college arms by taking Nate Isler from the Ivy League. Isler posted a 4.98 ERA across 65 innings and 11 starts. He struck out an impressive 80 hitters to only 25 walks.

He has a massive 6-foot-6 frame

Slot Value: $195,200

Read our write-up here.

Round 11, Pick 330: Kuhio Aloy, OF

Ht: 6’1″ Wt: 205 lb. School: Arkansas Highest Ranking: N/A

Quick Analysis:

Aloy slashed .293/.352/.486 (.838 OPS) this past season across 181 at-bats. He hit nine homers and drove in 41 runs. It was a down year compared to the 2025 season when he had a .943 OPS with 13 homers, 70 RBIs and a .317 batting average.

Aloy also played in the Cape Cod League in 2025, posting a .333/.463/.500 (.963 OPS) slash line with six extra-base hits over 54 at-bats.

Read our write-up here.

Round 12, Pick 360: AJ Krodel, RHP

Ht: 6’4″ Wt: 240 lb. School: UC Santa Barbara Highest Ranking: #254 by Baseball America

Quick Analysis:

Krodel had a 5.66 ERA across 35 innings out of the bullpen in 2026. He was terrific in the 2025 California Collegiate League posting a 1.74 ERA in 31 innings.

He is a bit of a soft-tosser with a low 90 mph-range fastball.

Read our write-up here.

Round 13, Pick 390: Jacob Madrid, C

Ht: 6’4″ Wt: 215 lb. School: Notre Dame HS Highest Ranking: #171 by MLB Pipeline

Quick Analysis:

Madrid was the first high school player the Mets selected in the draft. He was ranked 171st by MLB Pipeline, which shows strong value at No. 390 overall. Sign-ability is a question as he is committed to the University of Oregon, thus the fall.

Madrid is praised for his defensive game, given a 65 grade arm and 55 grade fielding ability by MLB Pipeline. He is already extremely refined defensively.

Read our write-up here.

Round 14, Pick 420: Zach Crotchfelt, LHP

Ht: 6’3″ Wt: 220 lb. School: Troy Highest Ranking: #325 by Baseball America

Quick Analysis:

Crotchfelt had a 3.49 ERA across 67 innings primarily out of the bullpen for the Troy Trojan in 2026. He had a very strong 81:23 K/BB ratio.

He was at Texas Tech previously to transferring to Troy. Crotchfelt went to Jackson Memorial High School in New Jersey.

Read our write-up here.

Dustin Hagens Jr. (photo via the University of Missouri- St. Louis)

Round 15, Pick 450: Dustin Hagens Jr., RHP

Ht: 6’1″ Wt: 160 lb. School: Missour-St. Louis Highest Ranking: N/A

Quick Analysis:

Hagens had a 3.89 ERA across 39 1/3 innings primarily out of the bullpen for Division II Missouri-St. Louis. His fastball reached 96 mph.

The Modesta, California native spent all three of his college years at the Division II level in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. He steadily improved from his debut season in 2024.

Read our write-up here.

Round 16, Pick 480: Gavin Guidry, RHP

Ht: 6’2″ Wt: 184 lb. School: LSU Highest Ranking: N/A

Quick Analysis:

Guidry had a 6.39 ERA with a strong 59 strikeouts across 43 2/3 innings for LSU in 2026. He appeared in 20 games, making three starts.

He also played in the Cape Cod League this past season, serving exclusively as a starter. In doing so, he posted a 5.82 ERA and 20 strikeouts across 17 innings of work.

His best season came across 22 relief appearances in 2024. He posted a 2.59 ERA and struck out 36 across 24 1/3 total innings.

He did not play in 2025 due to a back injury.

Round 17, Pick 510: Cooper Dossett, RHP

Ht: 6″ Wt: 210 lb. School: Arkansas Highest Ranking: N/A

Quick Analysis:

Dossett struggled in 2026 for the Razorbacks posting a 6.88 ERA across 16 appearances, mainly out of the bullpen. He struck out 18 and walked 12 across these appearances.

He transferred in from Green Bay of the Summit League following the 2023 season. He had a 4.83 ERA across 31 2/3 innings with 43 strikeouts that season.

Dossett also appeared in the MLB Developmental League in 2026. He tossed 3 2/3 innings across three appearances and did not allow an earned run.

Round 18, Pick 540: Marcus Ward, OF

Ht: 5’11” Wt: 172 lb. School: King’s Ridge Christian School (HS) Highest Ranking: N/A

Quick Analysis:

Ward committed to Western Carolina University in November of 2025.

Round 19, Pick 570: John Smith III, OF

Ht: 6’1″ Wt: 200 lb. School: Central Florida Highest Ranking: N/A

Quick Analysis:

Smith played 2026 with the UCF Knights in the Big 12. He slashed .322/.383/.574 (.958 OPS) with 12 homers, 49 RBIs, and 26 total extra-base hits. Smith only struck out 31 times across his 227 plate appearances.

The Florida-born outfielder transferred in from South Alabama of the Sun Belt. He improved on a .877 OPS in 2024 with the Jaguars despite a jump up in competition this past season.

Round 20, Pick 600: Kooper Schulte, SS

Ht: 6’1″ Wt: 198 lb. School: Iowa Highest Ranking: N/A

Quick Analysis:

Schulte played his college baseball at Iowa for the Hawkeyes. He posted a .274/.355/.484 (.840 OPS) across 261 plate appearances in 2026. He stole 11 bases and was only caught twice. Schulte had a .711 OPS across 123 at-bats in 2025 for Iowa; so a strong improvement year-over-year.

He played in the Prospect League in 2025 posting a very strong .341 batting average and .943 OPS. He drove in 48 runs across 185 at-bats.

The post 2026 New York Mets Draft Tracker appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

“Did not see this coming at all,” Wiggins told SNY. “So I think the Mets taking a chance on me is very surreal to me and I’ve wanted this since I was a little kid.”

Wiggins, 21, 6-foot-5 and 215 pounds, did not pitch for Arkansas this season after internal brace surgery. But he threw as hard as 102 mph before the procedure and was healthy for the draft combine, where he impressed scouts with his fastball and slider, per David Schoenfield of ESPN. Check out an article by Robert Colonna of MMO here, which includes an in-depth review of Wiggins’ four-pitch arsenal.

Wiggins pitched 14 relief innings for Arkansas in 2025, allowing six runs (five earned) for a 3.21 ERA. He struck out 20, walked nine and hit a batter. His 23-year-old brother, Jaxon, who is 6-foot-6 and 225 pounds, was selected by the Cubs in the second round of the 2023 draft out of Arkansas. Jaxon Wiggins is the Cubs’ top pitching prospect and the No. 90 MLB prospect overall on MLB Pipeline.

Carson Wiggins.

Keith Law of The Athletic, a Blue Jays front office executive from 2002-2006, labeled Carson Wiggins the “most interesting” pick of the first round.

“I don’t know if I think it’s a good pick, as I had Wiggins at No. 72 on my board, and if he’s only a reliever that’s not an ideal use of a first-round pick, but it is definitely interesting.” Law wrote. He said because Wiggins hasn’t pitched this year, he could be ready to go as soon as he signs, which is unusual for a pitcher selected out of college. He said the Mets could even throw him straight into the fire at the major-league level.

Schoenfield of ESPN, who had Wiggins at No. 90 on his board, wrote: “There’s a lot of unknown here and reliever risk, but the stuff makes him an intriguing selection.”

MLB.com’s Jonathan Mayo wrote: “This one is super interesting. When healthy, Wiggins arguably has the best fastball in the class, averaging 98.7 mph with late hop and carry.”

The Mets’ next pick was in the third round at No. 92, where they took Aiden Robbins, a 21-year-old outfielder out of the University of Texas who also played two seasons at Seton Hall. Ironically, there was some pre-draft talk of the Mets taking Robbins with their first-round pick.

Robbins slashed .333/.426/.696 (1.122 OPS) with 24 home runs and 64 RBIs in 60 games for the Longhorns this year. He stole 12 bases in 13 attempts. He worked 39 walks and struck out 65 times in 284 plate appearances. He bats and throw right and is listed at 6-foot-2, 205 pounds.

For a lot more on Robbins, MMO’s Rafael González has you covered here.

Shane Sdao.

In the fourth round, the Mets took pitcher Shane Sdao from Texas A&M University. The 22-year-old lefty had a tough year with the Aggies, pitching to a 7.03 ERA over 71 2/3 innings and coughing up 16 homers. He struck out 83 and walked 21. Sdao missed 2025 recovering from Tommy John surgery and scouts believe he will improve with time. Chris Bello of MMO has more on Sdao here.

The post Day 1 Draft Recap: Mets Surprise Experts With Wiggins Pick appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Francisco Lindor was calling for it, but gave way at the last second to Tyrone Taylor, who in theory should have an easier read on it coming in. But the ball glanced off Taylor’s glove, he tripped a bit over Lindor before retrieving the ball, the throw home was late and three runs scored. Eli White‘s generously-scored double came with the bases loaded and two outs in the third inning and extended Atlanta’s lead to 5-0. The Braves won 14-3.

“The easiest thing to say is just, I blew it, man,” Taylor said. “Can’t happen. Sean (Manaea)‘s out there working hard. Gets a pop up and I make a bad play. Make an error on it.”

New York (36-53) dropped to a season-worst 17 games below .500. The last time they were 17 below was after a 4-2 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies on Aug. 17, 2018. Mickey Callaway was the manager, Amed Rosario hit leadoff, and rookie Jeff McNeil went 2-for-4 with a double. Noah Syndergaard took the loss. Aaron Nola struck out 11 for Philadelphia.

“Losing is not enjoyable at all,” interim manager Andy Green said. “Nobody wants to be a part of it. Guys in that room want to win. They show up every day with that intent. It’s up to us to get the job done.”

A silver lining to a poor season is a high draft pick. The 2018 Mets rallied from 17 below to finish 77-85 and with the 12th pick in the first round of the following draft New York selected Brett Baty out of Lake Travis (Austin, Texas) HS.

The way the MLB draft works now, all non-playoff teams are placed in a lottery for the top six picks. The team with the worst winning percentage gets the best odds at the top pick. Last year, the White Sox had a 27.7 percent chance at it and the ping pong balls bounced their way. If you want to scoreboard watch, the Mets are in a race to the bottom with the Rockies, Giants, Angels and Royals.

The Mets have not picked within the top-five of a draft since 2004 when they draft third overall.

The team, however, will remain focused on winning. Juan Soto, announced Saturday as an All-Star starter, was asked before the game what he’s most proud of this season.

“There’s not much stuff to be proud of, but definitely we’ve been trying our best,” he said. “I definitely see guys grinding. That’s one of the things that I’m really proud of. The work ethic that my teammates have, it’s unbelievable how they come and show up every day to prepare themselves to play the game.”

The post Mets Drop To 17 Under .500 For First Time Since 2018 appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The big name they took in the first round at No. 10 overall that they did not sign due to medical issues was Kumar Rocker. Rocker got drafted by the Texas Rangers the next year and a few months later underwent Tommy John surgery. He struggled heavily in his rookie season but has looked much better in 2026, pitching to a 3.86 ERA and 1.34 WHIP. He has struggled more of late, giving up 12 runs in June to a 4.50 ERA, and he has struggled to generate strikeouts or limit walks, so more regression may be coming. He has not lived up to the hype of a player taken in the first round twice, but the Mets got no real benefit out of drafting him after using the No. 11 pick, which they landed after not signing Rocker, in the 2022 MLB Draft on Kevin Parada.

Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Their most successful pick by far is another pitcher who got Tommy John surgery: Christian Scott. The Mets took Scott in the fifth round, and he has well outperformed that slot. He looks like a strong mid-rotation starter who has pitched to a 3.20 ERA and 1.33 WHIP this season. So far, he has even outperformed his 2024 Baseball Prospectus ranking as the No. 88 prospect in the game and looks like he can be a rotation mainstay for the foreseeable future.

Mike Vasil was taken in the eighth round, but after struggling heavily for years was not protected by the Mets in the 2024 Rule 5 Draft. He was taken by the Phillies, traded to the Rays, DFA’d by the Rays, claimed by the White Sox, and went on to have a very good 2025 season, though nothing under the hood backed up his results. He followed that campaign with Tommy John surgery and has not thrown a pitch in 2026.

Carson Seymour was drafted in the sixth round and was part of the package the Mets sent over to the San Francisco Giants at the 2022 trade deadline to acquire Darin Ruf. He debuted in the majors in 2025 and has struggled heavily as a whole, pitching to a 5.80 ERA and 1.56 WHIP across 40 1/3 innings. His time in Triple-A has not been much better with a 4.31 ERA and 1.45 WHIP across 271 1/3 innings.

Nate Lavender was taken in the 14th round and has had an interesting path to Triple-A Syracuse. He looked like he could be forcing his way onto the 2024 major league team until he got Tommy John surgery. This led to the Mets leaving him unprotected in the 2024 Rule 5 draft, where the Rays selected him. They designated him for assignment at the end of the 2025 season after missing the entire year while recovering, and he returned to the Mets. He has since made his way back onto the field with increased velocity and looks incredible under the hood. He has a 42% strikeout rate (98th percentile) and 34.6% whiff rate (87th percentile) at Triple-A. If the Mets are sellers at the 2026 deadline, and if Lavender keeps this up, he should be able to force his way into the major league bullpen.

Dom Hamel was taken in the third round and made one appearance in the majors, throwing a scoreless inning for the Mets in 2025 before he was designated for assignment. He was claimed by the Orioles, DFA’d by them, then the Rangers and also DFA’d by them, and now sits in the Yankees’ farm system. He has not pitched in the majors since leaving the Mets.

Calvin Ziegler was taken in the second round by the Mets and has pitched only 9 1/3 innings since the start of the 2023 season due to a myriad of injuries. He seems to be healthy now and the stuff still looks good. He is only 23 years old, but the likelihood of him developing into a starting pitcher is much lower than it was when he was drafted.

The rest of the Mets’ draft is either no longer with the organization or in the minors without a clear path to the majors. You can see all of their picks below:

• Round 1 – Kumar Rocker – P
• Round 2 – Calvin Ziegler – P
• Round 3 – Dom Hamel – P
• Round 4 – JT Schwartz – 1B
• Round 5 – Christian Scott – P
• Round 6 – Carson Seymour – P
• Round 7 – Kevin Kendall – SS
• Round 8 – Mike Vasil – P
• Round 9 – Levi David – P
• Round 10 – Keyshawn Askew – P
• Round 11 – Rowdey Jordan – OF
• Round 12 – Jack-Thomas Wold – OF
• Round 13 – Matt Rudick – OF
• Round 14 – Nate Lavender – P
• Round 15 – Wyatt Young – SS
• Round 16 – Trey McLoughlin – P
• Round 17 – Nick Zwack – P
• Round 18 – Kolby Kubichek – P
• Round 19 – Drake Osborn – C
• Round 20 – Justin Guerrera – SS

The post Mets 2021 MLB Draft Retrospective appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

High School Eligibility

In MLB’s proposal, high school players will no longer be eligible to be drafted. Recent Met high school draftees include A.J. Ewing, Jonah Tong, Brett Baty, and Mark Vientos.

Currently, a player must be in their junior year and turning 21 years old by August 1 of their draft year to be eligible out of college. In this new system, the college players would be eligible a year earlier in their sophomore year, and age 20 by September 1.

MLB Draft combine medical evaluations would become mandatory. This would prevent surprises like the Mets had with Kumar Rocker in 2021.

Draft Length

MLB looks to cut the draft from 20 rounds to 12 rounds, slash draft bonuses by 50%, and allow for more expansive draft pick trading. Teams can only trade within a draft cycle – you cannot trade a 2029 pick before the 2028 draft has concluded. Teams will not be able to trade first-round picks in back-to-back drafts. Teams will not be able to trade draft picks once the first round has concluded. The draft previously shrank from 40 rounds to 20 rounds in 2021.

The most notable Mets players over the last 20 years taken between rounds 13-20 are Daniel Murphy, taken in round 13 of the 2006 draft, and Lucas Duda, taken in round 20 of the 2007 draft.

MLB also wants to institute hard slot values, which means draftees will no longer be able to negotiate signing bonuses. The Mets taking Brett Baty under slot so they could sign Matt Allan over slot in the third round would not be possible with this system.

Ten players selected by MLB would also have to attend the draft and would be paid $50,000 for their appearance.

International Draft and Undrafted Free Agents

MLB proposes a separate international draft with a similar structure to the major league one, but with significantly smaller bonus pools than the domestic draft. Eligibility for international signings would increase from age 17 to age 18.

Un-drafted free agent signings would drop from $125,000 to $10,000. Teams can sign as many of these players as they want, but the goal is to push these players to college baseball, where they can develop at no cost to major league teams. These players would be rule five eligible after only two years, but teams can give them a $30,000 bonus to push that eligibility back a year.

Why Does MLB Want This?

The most obvious answer is that this puts more money in the owners’ pockets. Fewer rounds with set, smaller bonuses are a savings of their own – expected to go from $13.379 million on average to $6.67 million –  but eliminating the high school eligibility greatly decreases scouting costs. MLB has been shrinking the size of the minor leagues, and eliminating high schoolers from being drafted likely plays into that as well. Having fewer young players in systems makes it easier to consolidate the minor leagues. The owners also save $115,000 per undrafted free agent as well.

This could also increase interest in the MLB draft as college players typically reach the majors much more quickly than high school players.

Will the Union Support This?

Across the board, the answer is likely no. That should be expected from early proposals, which tend to skew heavily one side to the other. You need to start far apart if you want to negotiate to the middle. This proposal also gives the owners things that can drop in negotiations to go after bigger fish.

The players’ union is unlikely to accept a proposal that cuts the draft by so much, especially in terms of money. They have long fought against an international draft, and this proposal is unlikely to change their minds. They have not supported shrinking the minor leagues and eliminating domestic high school players will likely be a non-starter.

There is still almost half a year until the collective bargaining agreement ends, and there will be many changes to these proposals in the meantime.

The post MLB Proposes Changes to MLB Draft appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Voit is the No. 63 prospect ranked by MLB.com.

Mitch Voit. Photo by: LON HORWEDEL

The six-foot, 201-pound right-hander focused mainly on pitching and played third base as well until 2025. In his junior season, he transitioned from pitching and playing third base to playing as a first baseman/ right fielder in 2025 and also got experience at second base as well, showing his versatility to play anywhere he’s needed on the field.

Playing multiple positions isn’t foreign to Voit, who since a young age has enjoyed playing anywhere in the field. In an article by the University of Michigan, Voit was quoted saying, “I didn’t care what position I played, I just wanted to be in the game.”

When he turned to focusing most on his hitting, he went from more of his upside being on the mound to having greater upside at the plate. Analysts have compared him to Gleyber Torres or Mark Vientos as a hitter.

On the mound between 2023-2024, the 20-year-old was 9-4 with a 4.67 career ERA with 66 strikeouts. He threw 98 1/3 innings, giving up 51 earned runs on 103 hits. Opponents had a .270 average against him.

His fastball averaged low-90s, with a low 80s slider.

In 2024, Voit hit .292 with a .572 slugging percentage and a .373 on-base percentage. He recorded 20 multi-hit games and 14 multi-RBI games as well. Known for being a big-time hitter, he has succeeded at the plate all throughout his career, but especially in 2024 and 2025.

Voit had elbow surgery at the end of the 2024 season, but that didn’t slow him down at all as he still played in the field in 2025, transitioning from the mound to second base and focusing more on his batting.

All of his offensive numbers from 2024 upticked even more in 2025 in a big way when he switched his focus from pitching to hitting and playing second base. In 2025, he hit .346 with a .668 slugging percentage and a .471 on-base percentage. He hit 17 doubles, four triples, and 14 home runs, and had 60 RBIs and 53 runs scored in his junior season. He also had a 1.140 OPS for the Michigan Wolverines in 2025.

Voit’s improvements are a testament to the way he approaches the game. “I just trust myself and know that all the work I put in beforehand will help me,” he told Louisa Lynn of Michigan.

In 2025, he earned Perfect Game USA Second Team All-America Honors.

Per Tyler Jennings of Just Baseball, when Voit began to focus more on hitting and less on pitching, he got more disciplined at the rate, taking his strikeout percentage from 22.7 percent to 13.1 percent. His walk percentage went from 8.6 percent to 15.5 percent.

Voit has a powerful swing and tapped 115 mph off the bat to both sides of the field and is known for having a well-rounded offensive profile.

In 2025 he was one of the best all-around hitters in the Big Ten Conference and MLB scouts say he has similarities to former Michigan two-way player Jake Cronenworth. He makes smart swing decisions, can get the barrel to ball well, he hits the ball hard and is a 15-20 home run hitter per season.

Voit also has plus speed making him a threat on the basepaths.

The Mets announced Voit as a two-way player and time will tell with how they choose to use Voit, who has experience playing multiple positions.

The post Mets Select Mitch Voit From Michigan With 38th Overall Pick appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

This year, they exceeded it by $40 million, and to make matters a bit worse, they had already forfeited their second-round draft pick after signing Juan Soto. Between the Soto signing and exceeding the CBT threshold, the Mets were lowered to pick No. 38, which comes in during the Competitive Balance Round A on Sunday.

Speaking with Anthony DiComo of MLB.com, Vice president of amateur scouting, Kris Gross, didn’t seem too phased with where the Mets stand heading into an important weekend.

“This is a very deep class, we like,” he said. “I feel like college pitching and high school hitting is exceptionally deep this year. So I think what we’re going to be looking at, at 38, is going to be fairly exciting. There’s a lot of talent on the board.”

The Mets are known for targeting versatile infielders and top prospect outfielders. According to predictions by ESPN, Baseball America, and MLB.com, the one thing that matches up is they all have the Mets taking just that; either a versatile infielder or outfielder, with all three players having the ability to play the outfield.

Potential Options at No. 38

ESPN’s final mock draft by draft experts in the company aligns with the Mets taking a high school hitter. They predict the Mets to take third baseman Quentin Young out of Oaks Christian High School in Westlake Village, California.

JUAN CARLO/THE STAR/USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Perfect Game lists Young, who measures in at 6-foot-5 and 215 pounds, as having, “top of the scale bat speed and raw power, and huge arm strength.” At 18 years old, ESPN.com lauded the raw power of the right-handed hitter, noting that he has hit a ball with an exit velocity of 115.4 mph and has hit five others harder than 110 mph and farther than 420 feet. They compare him to an athlete like Jac Caglianone of the Kansas City Royals, in that he is strong for his age, but the mechanics need work. Because of his knowledge, though, scouts predict he should be able to make adjustments well at the plate.

Young is a utility infielder who is strongest at shortstop, but also has the ability to play at second, third or in the outfield as well. This is another trait that the Mets have been attracted to in past drafts; selecting players who can be versatile and spread out in the field.

Along with their preference for versatile infielders, one of the biggest needs the Mets have entering the draft is outfield depth in the upper minor leagues. Currently, this is arguably the Mets’ weakest position across the board. It is also a position in which the Mets tend to select players with a higher floor and who also have a chance of succeeding.

Young fits the bill for being able to slot into an outfield position as well, and he is ranked by MLB.com as the No. 37 prospect in the 2025 draft class for the reasons mentioned above, along with his performances at MLB’s High School All-American Game and USA Baseball’s under-18 team in the World Cup qualifier. He is a player who can move well for his size and has strong athleticism offensively and defensively. With the ability to throw the ball 95 mph, some scouts think he would be best suited in the outfield, where a strong arm can make all the difference in the world.

Young is currently committed to LSU.

Considering their need for outfield depth, Baseball America has New York targeting that position as well. Whereas ESPN predicts the Mets to draft a high schooler, BA’s latest mock draft has the Mets going with a college player in Max Belyeu from the University of Texas.

Belyeu is a 6-foot-2, 215-pound junior from Aledo, Texas. The 21-year old bats left and throws right.

In his 2025 junior season, Belyeu slashed .303/.414/.576. He hit seven doubles, one triple, nine home runs and drove in 29 RBIs while scoring 26 runs.

Over the course of his career at Texas, he has batted .318/.414/.616. In three seasons (106 total games), he recorded 23 doubles, two triples, 27 home runs, 84 RBIs and 79 runs scored. He also draws plenty of walks, doing so 27 times his sophomore year and 21 times in his junior campaign.

He is known for his discipline at the plate and putting the ball in play, as well as accumulating big hits with his explosive power.

In the 2024 season, Belyeu was named to the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team while also earning Perfect Game Second Team All-American, ABCA/Rawlings Second Team All-American, and Big 12 Player of the Year honors, among with more. He was also awarded a spot on the Academic All-Big 12 First Team for his performance in the classroom.

With the Mets being a team that needs outfield depth, along with knowledge and discipline at the plate, Belyeu could be a good fit for the organization.

MLB.com also has the New York Mets taking a top outfielder in left-handed hitter Mason Neville from the Oregon Ducks. A junior from Las Vegas, Nevada, who is 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds. He is the No. 35 prospect in the class according to MLB.com. Neville used to be a two-way player and was selected by the Cincinnati Reds in the 18th round of the 2022 draft, but decided to take the collegiate route and go to Arkansas.

He transferred to Oregon in 2024 and has played all three outfield positions for them. While he favored center field, he can play all three spots and can make good reads on the ball from any of them.

At the plate, Neville is known for his raw power and athleticism. He has been compared to Cody Bellinger at this point in his development due to the ability to drive the ball through gaps with power, punishing fastballs, and having a bat that can succeed at the next level.

In 2025, Neville batted .290 with 16 doubles, 26 home runs, 57 RBIs, and 67 runs scored.

David Stearns. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Final Thoughts

Gross and staff members in charge of draft operations arrived in Port St. Lucie earlier this week to begin preparations for the draft. President of baseball operations, David Stearns, will join the group this weekend for the draft, which begins Sunday. It is only a two-day event, so it will be fast, but Gross confirmed the team is ready.

“It’s going to be a change, and I think the prep work we put into it will have us prepared and ready to go,” he told DiComo. “But chaos will probably ensue, and it’s going to go fast.”

The first round opens at 6:00 pm ET on Sunday. The Mets will have picks No. 38 and 102 on the first day with a bonus pool allotment of $5,465,900, which ranks No. 29 in the league.

Despite the low bonus pool allotment, the lack of picks might work in the Mets’ favor. This draft is known for its depth over its top talent and the Mets have the luxury of allotting large sums to high school talents to steal them away from college commits. Very similarly to when they drafted Trey Snyder away from Tennessee by offering him second-round money in the fifth round.

On the second day, beginning on Monday, the Mets will have picks No. 133 and 163. They’ll also own the 28th slot in each of the rounds from the fourth through the rest of the draft.

The post Previewing The Mets’ 2025 MLB Draft appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The Mets’ first pick will be at No. 38 on Sunday night. They then have selections at No. 102 Sunday as well, followed by No. 133 and No. 163 in rounds two and three respectively, followed by the No. 28 pick each of the rounds from the fourth through the remainder of the draft. Alexis Farinacci previewed the Mets’ draft and who analysts believe the Mets will pick ahead of Sunday night.

By Roberto Carlo

The Mets on Saturday defeated the Kansas City Royals 3-1. Frankie Montas (2-1, 5.03 ERA) was credited with his second win; Jonathan Bowlan (1-2, 3.79 ERA) was credited with the loss, and Edwin Díaz (1.66 ERA) earned his 19th save on the season.

The Mets and Royals conclude their three-game season and the first half of the 2025 MLB season on Sunday. It will be right-handed pitcher Clay Holmes (8-4, 3.29 ERA, 81 SO) on the mound for the Mets against left-handed pitcher Noah Cameron (3-4, 2.57 ERA, 50 SO) on the mound for the home Royals.

The conclusion of this game will then lead into the All-Star break.

Latest Mets News

The New York Mets announced that prior to David Wright’s number retirement ceremony and Hall of Fame induction, they will be hosting a Mets block party on July 18 at 1:10 p.m. ET at Citi Field.

Per Laura Albanese of Newsday, Dedniel Núñez is headed for his second Tommy John surgery.

Francisco Alvarez hit twto home runs and recorded five RBIs on Saturday for the Syracuse Mets. Alvarez now has seven home runs in his last 12 games.

Per Michael Mayer of Metsmerized Online, Brooks Raley threw a scoreless inning on Saturday for Triple-A Syracuse. So far in his rehab assignment: 9 IP, 7 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 13 K

As noted by the Mets, Francisco Lindor crossed another milestone on Saturday with his 200th career stolen base. Per MLB, Lindor is just one of nine active players to reach 200 career steals.

Latest MLB News

The Atlanta Braves reported left-handed pitcher Joey Wentz to Atlanta. They also recalled infielder Nacho Alvarez Jr. to Atlanta, placed infielder Austin Riley on the 10-day injured list with a strained right abdomen and optioned right-handed pitcher Nathan Wiles to Triple-A Gwinnett following Friday’s game.

Major League Baseball on Saturday announced that Paul Skenes will start the 2025 All-Star Game for the National League; MLB announced that it will be Tarik Skubal on the hill for the American League.

Per Major League Baseball, Yankees right fielder and captain Aaron Judge has hit his 350th career home run. He also becomes the youngest player in MLB history to reach No. 350.

Latest on MMO

David Melendi recapped the Mets’ minor league affiliate games from Friday.

Mojo Hill recapped Mark Vientos’ performance on Friday, which included a much-needed big hit for Vientos amidst his recent struggles.

Chris Bello breaks down the MLB power rankings for week 15.

Kai Chang discusses Nuñez’s need for second Tommy John surgery.

Evan Mazza recaps the Mets’ 3-1 win over Royals on Saturday, which included a strong performance from Mets pitching and a Juan Soto home run.

Alexis Farinacci recapped Jonah Tong and Carson Benge’s performances, along with a breakdown of the 2025 MLB All-Star Futures Game.

On This Date in Mets History

2001: Mike Piazza hit his 300th career home run.

Born on This Date: Mike Fitzgerald (1960), Jack Aker (1940).

The post Morning Briefing: MLB Draft Begins Today appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The now 23-year-old, right-handed pitcher started the game for Single-A St. Lucie on Sunday versus the Jupiter Hammerhead and went 2 2/3 innings. Allan allowed two hits, no runs, while walking only one. Most impressively, he struck out five; four of which were swinging and three of which came in the opening inning.

In Sunday’s game, Allan relied on his four-seam fastball which topped out at 96.9 mph and averaged 95.9 mph overall. Outside the four-seam fastball, which he threw 55%. He blended in a cutter 36% of the time and threw only two off-speed pitches, a curveball. In all, Allan induced seven swing and misses.

It was an overall very encouraging first outing for the once highly-thought of prospect. As the season goes on, health permitting, with consecutive strong performances, you should see a quick rise through the system given his age. Given all he’s been through, it’s terrific to see Allan back and healthy.

The post Matt Allan Makes First Game Appearance Since 2019 appeared first on Metsmerized Online.