15 biggest NY Mets draft pick busts in team history

New York Mets fans appreciate their homegrown talent, but not every draft pick turns out the way we’re told they will. Many fall short of those lofty expectations we’re told to have based on where they’re drafted, what the scouts say, and how eye-popping some of those minor league numbers are.

Many have succeeded yet others have come up short. Based on everything from how high they were drafted, how little they did, and how abruptly their professional careers ended, these are the 15 biggest Mets draft pick busts in team history. All, naturally, were first round selections.

15) Eddie Williams

It seems like the 1980s had a lot of huge hits and equally as big of misses for the Mets in the draft. They were awarded the fourth overall selection in 1983. Their choice, Eddie Williams, wouldn’t become a part of the new core. He’d have a long career that included 395 games, none with the Mets as he was traded in June of 1984. Williams played a long time in the majors but a fourth overall pick should bat higher than .252 and be worth more than -1 WAR.

14) Ryan Jaroncyk

Selected as the 18th overall pick in 1995, Ryan Jaroncyk is one of those failed draft busts who left the game for a different reason. As Rising Apple’s Thomas Yorke profiled, parental pressure is the big reason why Jaroncyk walked away from the game.

13) Rich Puig

Taken 14th overall in 1971, Rich Puig made it to the big leagues but went hitless in his 4 games. All of those big league chances happened in 1974 as a member of the Mets so at least they got to experience up close how off-target they were with this choice.

12) Al Shirley

Al Shirley was able to become a member of the Mets because he was draft pick compensation for the team losing Darryl Strawberry. He wouldn’t go on to become the franchise’s next icon. He failed to make it to the majors. Batting just .213 in parts of 8 minor league seasons, he wasn’t even close. The 18th overall choice for the Mets in 1991 is only saved from being higher on this list because there were many more taken in earlier rounds who reached the same peak.

11) Richard Bengston

The Mets took catcher Richard Bengston with the 13th overall pick in 1972. You might not know his name because he failed to get out of the lower level of the minor leagues. He’s also one of three 13th overall picks who never did.

10) Tom Thurberg

Let’s continue a pattern. Also taken as the 13th pick, this time in 1976, Tom Thurberg never reached the majors either. His professional career would last for 8 seasons and although a few of those games took place in Triple-A, Thurberg never showed enough to make the jump to the next level.

9) Rob Stratton

Finishing off pattern, Rob Stratton ranks as the biggest bust of the 13th overall picks. He was taken in 1996 and with the benefit of technological advancements in scouting, gets less of the benefit of the doubt. A significantly higher signing bonus at $975,000 doesn’t help his place on this list either. Stratton played over 300 professional games in Triple-A and not once did any of the teams see enough in him to throw him a major league at-bat.

9) Butch Benton

Butch Benton played parts of four seasons in the major leagues but hit just .162 and failed to add his name to the all-time home run list, never going deep once in any of his limited 109 plate appearances. He was the sixth overall draft pick in 1975 by the Mets

7) Randy Sterling

One thing Randy Sterling has over a few others on this list is that he managed to make it to the big leagues. He gets a minor pass because he was taken in the 1969 draft in a time when scouts more easily missed. The fourth overall pick in the draft used up all of his big league innings in 1974. He left with a 4.82 ERA and would pitch one more season in Triple-A before his career ended.

6) Kirk Presley

Nothing went right for the Mets in 1993. They couldn’t even choose correctly with the 8th overall pick when they took Kirk Presley. Who foresaw a minor league career full of so many injuries? He’d pitch in only 30 professional games never getting above High-A ball.

5) Geoff Goetz

If you know your mammoth Mets trades, this name is familiar. Geoff Goetz is an intriguing bust because his inclusion in the 1998 trade with the Florida Marlins helped bring them Mike Piazza. The sixth overall pick in the 1997 draft, he was cleverly flipped less than a year after joining the Mets organization. He never made it above Double-A. Injuries played a critical role in ending his career abruptly.

4) Terry Blocker

The fourth overall selection in the 1981 draft went to the Mets and they took Terry Blocker. He’d have a lengthier MLB career than some others on this list. However, the outfielder batted only .205 in his 244 big league at-bats. As a member of the 1985 Mets, he was 1 for 15 with a walk and 2 strikeouts. He’d play parts of two seasons with the Atlanta Braves before his career came to an end.

3) Les Rohr

He wasn’t taken first overall, but Les Rohr getting taken second in the 1965 draft is still pretty huge. He’d only ever appear in 6 MLB games, all for the Mets. His 3.70 ERA isn’t terrible. He would pitch in one game in the 1969 season, surrendering 3 earned runs in 1.1 innings of relief. Like so many other draft busts and especially from the early days, an injury was to blame for his inability to ever get over the hump.

2) Shawn Abner

Shawn Abner would play 392 MLB games which puts him well ahead of some others on this list. Why is he second? The expectations were much higher. Abner hit .227, 11 home runs, and was worth -1.3 WAR. Better than some other Mets draft busts, being the first overall selection in the 1984 draft added pressure he could never live up to. It doesn't help either that life post-career involves a prison sentence involving animal cruelty.

1) Steven Chilcott

Taken first overall in the 1966 MLB Draft, Steven Chilcott had unfortunate injuries hold him back from ever reaching the majors. Unquestionably one of the biggest busts in MLB history, being the first pick and never reaching the big leagues makes him the automatic biggest draft bust.