The best Mets player to wear number 24

Much like number 23, the New York Mets haven't had much talent wear number 24 over the years. The only difference is that only 11 Mets players have worn the number. Number 24 was held back from 2000-2019 for Willie Mays, and might ice the number again whenever Robinson Cano retires or leaves.

Willie Mays is the most notable Met to wear the number, even though he did most of his damage in a Giants uniform. Three Mets players have worn it since Mays retired. Kelvin Torve wore it for the 1990 season, Rickey Henderson wore it during his short Mets tenure, and Robinson Cano has worn it during his time in Queens.

There really haven't been many great players wear number 24 for the Mets. If Cano was more productive or didn't miss the entire 2021 season maybe he would've been the choice, but in my opinion Art Shamsky is the clear answer.

Art Shamsky is the best Mets player to wear number 24

Shamsky wasn't a superstar by any means. He was a Met for four seasons but was never the full-time starter. Shamsky served most of the time as a platoon hitter as in his career he was way more effective against right-handed pitching than against southpaws. Shamsky had a 103 OPS+ in 1,574 career at-bats against righties while he had a 63 OPS+ in 112 at-bats against lefties.

While he was only a platoon guy, he was definitely productive as a Met. Overall, he slashed .266/.341/.432 with 42 home runs and 162 RBI in 406 games as a Met. The total numbers are really dragged down by a very bad final year for Shamsky in a Mets uniform.

Shamsky's best season came in 1969. He slashed .300/.375/.488 with 14 home runs and 47 RBI. He was a very important piece of the Miracle Mets and isn't spoken enough in that regard. In the 1969 NLCS, Shamsky had seven hits in 13 at-bats in the Mets series victory.

Shamsky isn't the best player the Mets had on that 1969 team, but teams don't win World Series championships without everyone producing. The stars have to produce just as much as the role players, and Shamsky did his part and then some for that team and for that he is the best player to ever wear number 24 as a Met.