NY Mets first-round pick Carson Wiggins looks like a big reach with major risk

Who is Carson Wiggins and why was he worth a first-round selection by the New York Mets? The 27th overall selection by the Mets is a right-handed pitcher with only 14 innings of college experience. The scouts surely did their due diligence on him, however, when checking on one of ESPN’s most recent mock drafts, it looks like they might have reached.

ESPN had him going 67th overall to the Boston Red Sox. Selected 30 picks earlier by New York, this certainly seems like a case of the Mets maybe overthinking things.

Mets first-round pick Carson Wiggins went much earlier than he was projected

ESPN isn’t alone by thinking he was going to go much later in the draft. Wiggins was ranked as the 88th best player in the draft. A 61 spot difference, the Mets must be enamored with him.

Just looking at his Arkansas numbers, we can see qualities that David Stearns obsesses over. A massive 12.9 K/9 rate but with a 5.8 BB/9 to go with it, he fits the bill. College numbers aren't all that relevant. For Wiggins, the biggest questions comes from the doctor.

SNY’s Joe DeMayo provided some immediate analysis, noting Wiggins’ ability to throw hard and the control issues. Matching with a theme of Stearns’ run as the Mets’ POBO, Wiggins is a Tommy John recipient who’ll attempt to make a comeback. The Mets drafted multiple pitchers coming off of that or other major arm issues last season. It’s a bold strategy that can come with immense reward or extreme punishment.

The Mets aren’t a team who’ll ever need to rely exclusively on the draft because of their constant spending on major leaguers. Nevertheless, taking such big risks on health in the draft this frequently isn’t appealing.

Last year’s picks from rounds 4, 5, and 6 were all pitchers with a combined 5 innings of work due to injury. With the freshness of how the Matt Allan selection backfired on the organization still very much alive, one has to wonder if battling health is a war not worth fighting.

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