The New York Mets farm system has become a big talking point for fans, growing even more exponentially at the 2023 trade deadline when the franchise decided it was time to focus on the future instead of throwing a Hail Mary on the present. Trades are one way to build a farm system. Smart drafting is the other.
Exactly how did those first five draft picks from this past summer do in their first seasons as professional ball players?
Carson Benge, First Round Pick, 19th Overall
The two-way player out of Oklahoma State won’t try to replicate Nolan McLean in any way. He isn’t going to attempt to hit and pitch. And he’ll instead focus exclusively on offense. It seemed to be a wise decision. Through 15 games with St. Lucie, Benge batted .273/.420/.436 with a pair of home runs, 8 RBI, and 3 stolen bases in as many attempts. It’s about as much as you could ask for from the first handful of games. He’s going to be an exciting follow next year when he gets a full season under his belt. Turning 22 in January, he could rise through the system quickly.
Jonathan Santucci, Second Round Pick, 46th Overall
A left-handed pitcher from Duke was what the Mets used their second round draft pick on. There’s nothing to comment on how his first professional year went because Jonathan Santucci didn’t appear in any games. Not to worry. Brandon Sproat was drafted in 2023 and didn’t pitch professionally until 2024. Santucci had a promising 6-1 record and 3.41 ERA in 58 innings for Duke prior to getting drafted. Stay tuned for how things go in 2025.
Nate Dohm, Third Round Pick, 92nd Overall
Well, uh, this is awkward. Perhaps not. It isn’t unusual for players, pitchers in particular, to take some time off after getting drafted. This is what happened with Nate Dohm who was taken in the third round by the Mets. There wasn’t a whole lot to love about his college results until 2024 when he went 4-0 with a 1.23 ERA in 29.1 innings for Mississippi State. Stunning control with 1.2 walks per 9 and a masterful strikeout rate of 11.4 per 9, Dohm should get a shot to be a starter but a switch to focusing on working in relief, which he primarily did in college, isn’t far fetched.
Eli Serrano, Fourth Round Pick, 111th Overall
Another college outfielder, Eli Serrano was teammates with Benge in St. Lucie following the draft. Serrano batted .238/.333/.444 with 3 doubles, 2 triples, and 2 home runs while driving in 6. Fourth round picks are generally more minor league wild cards than can’t miss prospects. A good yet not great start in his first 72 trips to the plate should still have us intrigued enough to have some hopes of a bright future.
Trey Snyder, Fifth Round Pick, 144th Overall
How dare the Mets draft another shortstop! Trey Snyder is a high school prospect from Missouri the Mets were enticed by enough to take with their fifth round selection. He, like Benge and Serrano, reported to St. Lucie for duty. Snyder didn’t play as much as them, appearing in only 6 games and receiving 26 plate appearances. A 4 for 22 performance where every hit was a single gave him a .182/.308/.182 slash line to wrap up his abbreviated first tour. Not massively disappointing or exhilarating, a full 2025 season spent in St. Lucie should give us a better idea if he’s the next Jett Williams or Colin Houck.