How a controversial free agent decision saved the NY Mets from a disastrous draft

You know how David Wright joined the New York Mets because the team lost Mike Hampton in free agency. You’ll hear plenty about A.J. Ewing and his connection to Jacob deGrom with his departure leading to the drafting of one of the key up-and-coming young Mets players. Way back in the 1980s, with the rules differing but still awarding teams with draft pick compensation, the Mets had another pick similar to this.

Fresh from winning a World Series in 1986, the Mets made some curious offseason decisions. Ray Knight wasn’t re-signed and his loss when he signed with the Baltimore Orioles gave the Mets a second round selection, the 39th overall pick in the draft.

Their choice would become a future single-season franchise home run champion, Todd Hundley. A powerful force at the plate for the better part of the 1990s for the Mets, this pick saved them from an otherwise disastrous draft class.

The 1987 Mets draft class is awful outside of Todd Hundley

Before Hundley, the Mets took Chris Donnels in the first round. Debuting in 1991, he played 82 games for the Mets and hit .195. In 450 career MLB games, he was worth 0.2 WAR. A light hitting infielder taken several picks before 34.4 WAR Travis Fryman and two selections after Hall of Famer Craig Biggio, Donnels was an unquestioned draft miss. Although unattainable based on where they were picking, this first round was no slouch. Ken Griffey Jr. highlighted it as the first overall pick. Later in the first round came Jack McDowell and Kevin Appier with some impressive careers ahead of them.

Of the players the Mets drafted and were able to sign, Hundley was by far the best followed by pitcher Pete Schourek later on in the second round. He pitched in parts of three seasons with the Mets and left with a 0.1 WAR. Although a lengthy career followed, his best season came with the Cincinnati Reds in 1995.

Round-by-round, the Mets failed to find anyone significant. Several names are memorable, including infielder Tim Bogar, 27-straight decision loser Anthony Young, and towering Eric Hillman whose height didn’t help him much as his -0.9 WAR in the majors is the worst of anyone drafted that year. That doesn’t mean he was the worst player taken. He still made it to the show.

Hundley’s career peaked with 41 home runs in 1996. He had an objectively better year in 1997, hitting 30 home runs and driving in 86 but going from a .906 OPS to .943. The 1998 season was his final one with the Mets and a messy one with Mike Piazza already present and an ill-fated experiment of putting Hundley out in left field.

Mets history minus Hundley isn’t drastically different except that maybe the team acquires a different catcher sooner than Piazza. When put that way, the selection seems even more valuable.

It's also worth noting how Knight didn't follow-up his World Series MVP season with a big year. He hit .256 with the Orioles. The next year, now with the Cincinnati Reds, he batted .217. That was his last season in the big leagues.

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