The Mets made their first pick of the 2026 MLB Draft, taking Arkansas RHP Carson Wiggins with the 27th pick.
The Mets, who are picking all the way down at 27th overall due to their high payroll obligations dropping them ten spots from the 17th pick that they would have earned due to their 2025 record, took a rather interesting swing in Wiggins.
Wiggins does not have much of a on-field resume to touch on. A highly touted high school recruit out of Oklahoma, Wiggins made his debut in Fayetteville, Arkansas
as a true freshman, appearing in 14 games (all out of the bullpen), earning three saves, a 3.21 ERA, striking out 33.9% of batters he faced and walking 15.3% of batters he faced across 14 innings pitched.
However, his college career ended after those 14 appearances. He injured his elbow, underwent Tommy John surgery in May of 2025, and subsequently missed the entire 2026 season as a result. He has shown electric stuff in the past, including a fastball that has reached triple digits and a wipe out slider, but there is not much to go on from his career as a Razorback.
Wiggins, who was a draft-eligible sophomore coming into the draft, is healthy from that elbow injury, as he pitched at the Draft Combine. He represents a (likely underslot) risk/reward pick for the Mets. With his lack of college innings and already built in injury history, its hard to project how it will turn out. However, his stuff, including a fastball that can hit 100 mph, and interesting spin rates on his breaking pitches, mean the Mets will be leaning on their recent history of pitcher development help him take those next steps.
Due to the signing of Bo Bichette, the Mets do not have a second round pick, so they will have to wait all the way until pick 92, in the third round, to make their second selection.
