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New York Mets all-time best rookie seasons at each position

By Jake Giblin

FLUSHING- OCTOBER 1986 : Dwight Gooden #16 of the New York Mets pitching to the Houston Astros during a League Championship Game on October 14. 1986 at Shea Stadium in Flushing, New York. The Mets defeated the Astros 2-1. (Photo by Ronald C. Modra/Getty Images)
FLUSHING- OCTOBER 1986 : Dwight Gooden #16 of the New York Mets pitching to the Houston Astros during a League Championship Game on October 14. 1986 at Shea Stadium in Flushing, New York. The Mets defeated the Astros 2-1. (Photo by Ronald C. Modra/Getty Images) /
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PORT SAINT LUCIE, FL – MARCH 9: Six New York Mets pitchers helmets sit in a rack next to the practice field as they run through drills prior to the spring training game against the Detroit Tigers at First Data Field on March 9, 2017 in Port Saint Lucie, Florida. The game ended in a 5-5 tie. (Photo by Joel Auerbach/Getty Images) /

Catcher: Ed Hearn, 1986

Ed Hearn? Who the heck is Ed Hearn? That’s what I asked myself when I was trying to research the best rookie season a catcher has had for the Mets.

Similar to relief pitchers, the Mets don’t have many memorable seasons from a rookie catcher.  There have been a few catchers that have had decent showings in their rookie year but not enough of a sample size to make this team. For instance, Josh Thole hit .321 his rookie year, but only appeared in 17 games.

After taking all of this into consideration, I was forced to circle back to Hearn. He batted .265 with 4 home runs as Gary Carter‘s backup and similar to the previous two players on this list, Hearn was also a member 1986  championship squad.

Honorable Mention: Ron Hodges, 1973

First Baseman: Pete Alonso

Due to recency bias, Pete Alonso is going to be a fan favorite on this list for sure. Pistol Pete enjoyed one of the most successful rookie seasons to date, breaking Aaron Judge‘s rookie home run record of 52, setting the new mark at 53.

As previously mentioned, Alonso was named the 2019 National League Rookie of the Year, receiving all but one first-place vote, with the other going to Atlanta’s Mike Soroka. Not only did Alonso step up on the field, but off the field as well, establishing himself as a team leader early during his first trip around the senior circuit.

It wouldn’t surprise me if Alonso is eventually named the fifth captain in Mets franchise history someday down the road. Nonetheless, Mets fans are eager to see what Alonso can do during his sophomore campaign in 2020.

Honorable Mention: Ike Davis, 2010

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