David Stearns knows better than to build the NY Mets roster with a Rule 5 pick

One of the underrated parts of the Winter Meetings is the Rule 5 Draft, which takes place on December 10 at 2 p.m. ET. During the event, clubs will scramble to steal away assets who have been squeezed out thanks to roster crunches. To that end, the New York Mets risk losing intriguing youngsters like Douglas Orellana and the newly acquired Jose Ramos.

It can be easy to get carried away with the prospect of swiping a once-heralded top prospect and watching a hidden gem blossom, but more often than not, there's a reason that these players are left unprotected.

To that end, will the Mets roll the dice in this year's event? Given David Stearns' history, the answer is no, and that is a very good thing.

David Stearns' history and the state of the Mets roster make a Rule 5 Draft pickup unlikely

While the Mets have a big budget at their disposal to fill holes, you'd expect Stearns to have a lengthy track record of dipping into the Rule 5 proceedings to find cheap talent to fill out the margins when he was with the Milwaukee Brewers. However, that wasn't really the case.

While Stearns was in Milwaukee, the club only took two swings. The first was selecting southpaw Caleb Smith from the New York Yankees. Smith was immediately traded to the Chicago Cubs and then returned to the Yankees after spring training. Interestingly enough, Smith was traded for current Mets target Michael King, and former Mets outfielder at different points in his career following that selection.

The second time was in 2022, when Milwaukee selected right-handed pitcher Gus Varland, who got off to a hot start but was quickly sent to the IL after getting hit by a comebacker. His return from injury did not go well, and he was returned to his original club, the Los Angeles Dodgers, that May.

With the Mets, Stearns has made one Rule 5 strike, grabbing right-hander Justin Slaten from the Texas Rangers and immediately trading him to the Boston Red Sox in a predetermined draft-and-trade maneuver.

With how things are looking for 2026, it's not likely Stearns selects anyone with the idea of keeping him on the roster. A Rule 5 pick isn't going to solve left field, and on the position player side, the Mets are trying to cull their depth rather than add to it.

The only place on the pitching staff where a Rule 5 guy might make some sense is in the bullpen; however, aside from another high-leverage arm (again, not something the Rule 5 Draft will provide), the biggest need is an optionable arm who can be sent up and down to keep everyone fresh.

That isn't possible without having to offer the player back to his original team, so the only logical course of action for Stearns is to do what he usually does, and sit out this portion of the annual summit and focus his attention where it really matters, reeling in big fish to lead the rotation, fill left field, add to the bullpen, and solve first base.