Revisiting the Last 6 Mets First-Round MLB Draft Picks

When it comes to the Mets, very few things ever go right. In terms of the MLB Draft, many instances of bad luck have struck down on Queens — whether it's busts that don’t pan out, players traded before even given the opportunity to play or ones who never even sign their official contracts with the organization.

For David Stearns, one of the very few things that has gone right with the Mets has been utilizing their first round selections. Stearns changed everything in 2024 when selecting Carson Benge, who instantly shot through the farm system to join the team in 2026.

Stearns will have his third chance to add a potential franchise cornerstone on Saturday, where the Mets select with the 27th pick in the 2026 MLB Draft. It’s time to re-visit the last six first-round selections from the Mets, while also looking at who was on the board for taking.

2025: Mitch Voit, 2B No. 38 overall

Although it's still very early to tell how the Mets did with their first round selection in 2025, Mitch Voit has so far presented himself with promise throughout the farm system. The Mets were originally slated to select 28th overall, but moved back 10 spots due to their luxury tax penalty. Again, it is very early to judge and grade other organizations' selections, but for New York — it has so far looked like the perfect choice.

Voit was a highly valued selection for the Mets because of his strong, analytical approach to hitting and his defensive versatility. Drafted as a two-way player from the University of Michigan, he transitioned into a full-time infielder with excellent bat-to-ball skills, a high on-base percentage and the flexibility to play all over the diamond, giving the Mets a perfect option for the future.

In 2026, Voit serves as the Mets' current No. 5 prospect, producing at a solid level in High-A, batting .245 through 63 games with a .351 OBP and .763 OPS, displaying elite baserunning skills with 26 stolen bases. For the Mets, Voit stands out as their potential second baseman of the future, already being their best middle infield prospect at just the age of 21.

2024: Carson Benge, CF, No. 19

Selected over:

Trey Yesavage — Blue Jays, No. 20

Although it is still far too early to run the victory lap, the selection of Carson Benge in the first round of the 2024 draft stands out as a perfect pick. Benge will be a future building block for the organization, pairing him perfectly with their 2023 second round pick in AJ Ewing and Juan Soto.

Like Voit, Benge served as a two-way player at Oklahoma State during his college days, ironically flipping positions with former college teammate Nolan McLean, both serving as potential stars on the Mets. The left-handed outfielder combined advanced plate discipline with explosive athletic traits that allowed him to bypass the traditional minor league grind entirely, leading to his quick and successful debut in 2026.

However, the journey wasn’t easy for the 23-year-old, who struggled heavily to start his major league career. Even after kicking off his career with a home run on Opening Day, Benge struggled through the first 21 games, batting .136 with two XBH and three RBIs — many calling for him to be sent back down to Triple-A so he could further develop. Benge displayed an immense amount of maturity, proving he could work through adversity at such a young age.

After struggling, Benge found himself finally in a rhythm, bringing his season total BA to .259 along with 11 HRs and 35 RBIs, holding a .724 OPS. Benge also ranks in the top-50 among all outfielders with a +1 defensive run value, serving as a valuable player on both sides of the ball. With just two first-round selections under his belt in Queens, Stearns has so far been perfect.

2023: Colin Houck, SS, No. 32

Selected over:

Kevin McGonigle — Tigers, No. 37
Luke Keaschall — Twins, No. 49

The Billy Eppler era, one to most definitely be forgotten. Eppler was remembered during his time primarily for his spending at free agency, definitely not for his draft selections and trade deadline decisions.

In 2023, Eppler made the decision to select Colin Houck with the No. 32 overall pick, failing to select Kevin McGonigle, who fell five picks further, already serving as a star in the majors with a .284 BA and .817 OPS through his first 87 big-league games.

For Houck, the 21-year-old has yet to make an impact in the farm system, being stuck with the Mets High-A affiliates in the Brooklyn Cyclones, batting .211 in 69 games this season with a .282 OBP and 111 strikeouts.

The two-sport athlete out of Georgia was expected to bring game-changing skills to the Mets, which has so far been considered a failure. Houck was a highly regarded three-star Power 5 quarterback recruit in high school.

The Mets strongly believed that by getting him to drop football and commit 100% of his focus to baseball, his raw tools would quickly develop into elite traits. Houck has since dropped from the Mets' top-30 prospect list, where he peaked at No. 7 in 2024. While there is still time for the 21-year-old to make a difference, it looks very unlikely by the day.

2022:

Kevin Parada, C, No. 11

Selected over:

Jace Jung — Tigers, No. 12
Zach Neto — Angels, No. 13

Jett Williams, INF, No. 14

Selected over:

Chase DeLauter — Guardians, No. 16
Justin Crawford — Phillies, No. 17
Noah Schultz — White Sox, No. 26
Sal Stewart — Reds, No. 32

Yet again, Eppler managed to swing and miss on not one first-round selection in 2022, but two. Kevin Parada was expected to be the next big thing for the Mets, praised as one of the most polished, elite pure hitters in the entire draft class.

Considered a consensus top-five talent who unexpectedly slid down to the Mets, team officials and scouts heavily lauded his complete offensive toolkit. This has most definitely not been the case for the 24-year-old, who went from the organization’s No. 3 prospect in 2023 to completely unranked.

Double-A was a nightmare for Parada in 2024, totaling a .214 BA in his first full season in Binghamton, hitting 13 HRs while striking out 153 times. 2025 saw his first look in Triple-A, where he totaled a .196 BA through 16 games, walking seven times while striking out 13 times.

While it is very unlikely Parada will ever make a direct impact in the majors for the Mets, his performance in Syracuse in 2026 has raised several eyes, batting .301 through 24 games with 22 hits and 12 RBIs, striking out just 20 times. Could this be the potential rise to the majors for the former No. 11 overall pick?

Jett Williams' time with the Mets was very short-lived, being shipped off in a package for Freddy Peralta this offseason before he even had the chance to make an impact with the organization.

Williams was widely known for his elite speed and pure contact approach, serving as a viable leadoff option offensively down the line. His ride in the Mets farm system was consistent, serving as the team's No. 1 prospect in 2024 and No. 2 prospect in 2025.

However, it’s fair to sit and think who the Mets could’ve selected over Williams, with guys such as Sal Stewart and Justin Crawford going later on in the draft.

2021: Kumar Rocker, SP, No. 10

Selected over:

Andrew Painter — Phillies, No. 13
Sal Frelick — Brewers, No. 15
Colson Montgomery — White Sox, No. 22
Gavin Williams — Guardians, No. 23
Jackson Merrill — Padres, No. 27

The Mets ended up leaving the first round of the 2021 MLB Draft without a prospect, a sad display. Kumar Rocker was a highly regarded arm in the draft, viewed almost as a “generational” talent, raising much excitement when originally selected by the Mets with the No. 10 pick.

The two sides originally agreed to a $6 million contract bonus, with the deal dramatically evaporating during the post-draft physical when internal imaging flagged concerns over structural longevity in his right arm.

The Mets made the correct decision, completely walking away from an official signing, letting the deadline pass without an offer. Because of this, the organization was granted a compensatory 11th overall pick in the 2022 draft, where they selected Kevin Parada. Rocker would return to the draft in 2022, going No. 3 to the Rangers.

Rocker has since made his major league debut, still serving as a starter in the Rangers rotation. Through 17 starts in 2026, the 26-year-old holds a 3.95 ERA while striking out 74 batters, along with a 1.34 WHIP.

Other selections

2020: Pete Crow-Armstrong, OF, No. 19

2019: Brett Baty, 3B, No. 12

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