Mets' CBT Payroll Costs Them Again In MLB Draft; Shallow Bonus Pool For 2026

[Tom Gatto]

Image courtesy of © Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

The New York Mets found out Thursday just how much their attention to the major league roster will affect them in this summer's MLB Draft.

MLB allotted the club $6.731 million to sign its picks, according to a league announcement. That figure is the third-lowest pool total in the draft and about three times smaller than the $19.1 million in pool money available to the top club, the Pittsburgh Pirates. More than half the Mets' bonus pool was dedicated to their first-round bonus slot: $3.47 million for the 27th overall selection.

New York is picking 27th as a penalty for exceeding the second Competitive Balance Tax (CBT) surcharge threshold last season, with an estimated $347 million tax payroll. This is familiar territory for the club; It is the fourth year in a row MLB has dropped the Mets 10 spots for exceeding CBT thresholds. Last year, the team's first selection was 38th overall. The Mets chose University of Michigan two-way player Mitch Voit at that spot and signed him to a $1.75 million bonus.

The club's 2026 draft was further compromised in February when it agreed to sign free-agent infielder Bo Bichette to a three-year, $126 million contract. Bichette had received a qualifying offer from his previous club, the Toronto Blue Jays, meaning the Mets had to forfeit their second- and fifth-round selections for signing him. Barring any trades for supplemental-round picks between now and the draft, the Mets will pick 27th overall and then not again until 92nd, their pick in the third round. They received a compensatory pick after the fourth round for the Dodgers' signing of free-agent closer Edwin Diaz. The Mets made a qualifying offer to Diaz, who rejected it.

The 2026 MLB Draft will be held July 11-12 in Philadelphia, the site of the 2026 MLB All-Star Game. The Chicago White Sox have the first overall selection; they're expected to take the consensus No. 1 draft prospect, UCLA infielder Roch Cholowsky.

2026 MLB Draft bonus pools

• Pittsburgh Pirates: $19,130,700
• Tampa Bay Rays: $19,009,300
• Chicago White Sox: $17,592,100
• Minnesota Twins: $16,929,600
• St. Louis Cardinals: $16,612,300
• Kansas City Royals: $15,954,000
• Atlanta: $15,870,800
• Colorado Rockies: $15,557,600
• San Francisco Giants: $14,080,400
• Athletics: $13,840,300
• Houston Astros: $13,712,700
• Arizona Diamondbacks: $13,603,100
• Baltimore Orioles: $13,114,000
• Cleveland Guardians: $12,573,900
• Washington Nationals: $12,278,300
• Miami Marlins: $11,960,100
• Los Angeles Angels: $11,755,400
• Cincinnati Reds: $10,758,500
• Texas Rangers: $10,219,200
• Chicago Cubs: $9,644,100
• San Diego Padres: $9,479,000
• Detroit Tigers: $9,165,100
• Boston Red Sox: $8,219,200
• Seattle Mariners: $8,218,200
• Milwaukee Brewers: $8,042,900
• Philadelphia Phillies: $7,773,000
• New York Yankees: $7,342,800
• New York Mets: $6,730,900
• Toronto Blue Jays: $5,543,100
• Los Angeles Dodgers: $3,951,900

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