Mets Bet on Wiggins.
Mets Draft High-Upside Pitcher Carson Wiggins 27th Overall Despite Luxury Tax Constraints.
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Key Points
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The No. 27 pick carries a slot value of $3,466,500, and Wiggins is expected to sign for slightly under that figure.
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The Mets do not have a second-round pick this year, and they forfeited a pick gained from Edwin DÃaz's move to the Dodgers because they signed Bo Bichette, which compounded their luxury‑tax penalties.
3
Wiggins’ older brother, Jaxon, is a Top 100 prospect with the Cubs, adding a notable family connection to his draft profile.
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Wiggins has had limited college innings due to injuries, including Tommy John internal brace surgery in 2025 and no pitching for Arkansas in the recent season, after posting 3.21 ERA with 20 strikeouts in 14 freshman innings.
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This marks the Mets’ first-round pitcher selection since Kumar Rocker in 2021 (and follows Peterson in 2017), underscoring the franchise’s recent pattern of high-risk, high-upside picks tied to the club’s spending.
The New York Mets selected right-hander Carson Wiggins from Arkansas with the No. 27 overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft, according to MLB.com. Wiggins did not throw a single pitch in 2025 after undergoing Tommy John internal brace surgery, yet his ability to hit 102 mph before the injury made him too tempting to pass up.
The pick comes with real constraints. The Mets lost their second-round pick this year due to luxury-tax penalties and a series of costly roster moves, per New York Post. With limited draft capital, New York went all-in on upside with their only early selection.
Mets' Draft Capital Hurt by Big Spending Moves
New York's aggressive offseason spending pushed them deep into luxury-tax territory. That cost them a second-round pick entirely, per Amazin' Avenue. They also forfeited a pick tied to Edwin DÃaz's move to the Dodgers after signing Bo Bichette. The result: the No. 27 pick was their only shot at a top talent in this draft.
The No. 27 slot carries a value of $3,466,500. The Mets are expected to sign Wiggins for slightly under that figure, New York Post reported. An under-slot deal would be a modest saving but signals the team wants to stay within its tightly managed draft budget.
Wiggins' Elbow Surgery Clouds an Electric Arm
Wiggins had Tommy John internal brace surgery in May 2025 and sat out the entire college season. He has just 14 career innings at Arkansas, where he posted a 3.21 ERA with 20 strikeouts as a freshman. That is a thin résumé for a first-round pick, Rising Apple noted.
The internal brace procedure is seen as less invasive than full Tommy John surgery. Recovery timelines tend to be shorter. Wiggins impressed evaluators at the MLB Combine despite not pitching, and scouts remain high on his pre-injury stuff. His top velocity of 102 mph keeps his ceiling elite, according to MLB.com.
A Family of First-Round Arms at Arkansas
Carson is not the only Wiggins making headlines. His older brother Jaxon is already a Top 100 prospect in the Chicago Cubs system. Arkansas produced back-to-back first-rounders from the same family, a rare feat in college baseball history, per Amazin' Avenue.
The family connection adds a layer of intrigue to Carson's profile. Jaxon gives scouts a live comparison point. If Carson recovers fully and develops on a similar track, the Mets could have landed a steal late in the first round.
Mets Bet Again on a High-Risk, High-Ceiling Pitcher
This is the Mets' first first-round pitcher since Kumar Rocker in 2021, according to New York Post. That pick was itself controversial due to injury concerns. New York has a pattern of swinging for power arms with medical question marks attached, and Wiggins fits that mold exactly.
Rising Apple called the pick a "big reach with major risk" given Wiggins' just 14 college innings and missing 2025 entirely. Still, the Mets are betting that his 102 mph fastball and projectable frame will translate once he returns healthy. If it works, it could look like a brilliant gamble. If it doesn't, the lack of a second-round pick will sting even more.
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