Biggest Mets busts drafted in the first round in franchise history

Mets Pitcher

Billy Traber was a first-round pick in the 2000 draft, 16th pick overall, out of Loyola Marymount in Los Angeles, California. The 2000 draft was pretty much without name recognition in the first round. The only player of any significance who was selected immediately ahead of Traber was long-time Mets nemesis, Chase Utley.

Traber would never play for the Mets as he was eventually included as a player to be named later in the trade that brought Roberto Alomar from the Cleveland Indians. Traber was a college pitcher with a lot of promise but couldn’t translate that into big league success. He played a year for the Indians before suffering arm troubles and sitting out two full seasons. He bounced around to the Washington Nationals, New York Yankees, and Boston Red Sox before retiring with an ERA over 5.60.

Mets Catcher

Steve Chilcott was chosen No. 1 in the second free agent draft by the Mets in 1966 out of Antelope Valley High School in Lancaster, California…chosen immediately before some guy from Arizona State University named Reggie. “Well, we need a catcher…” was what was told to everyone.

Chilcott dislocated his right shoulder when he dove back into the second base bag during his second season in the minor leagues, and was never the same. Chilcott never played a single game for the Mets nor any other team in the Major Leagues for that matter, and is one of only three overall first picks to never play a Major League baseball game. He is most known as the answer to a trivia question that has haunted Mets fans for many years.