New York Mets 2026 MLB Draft Day 1 Recap: Mets Take Boom-or-Bust Arm Carson Wiggins In First Round, Followed By Steal of Slugger Aiden Robbins

The New York Mets entered day one of the 2026 MLB Draft with just three picks, including just one in the top 90. And yet, they found a way to bring in a trio of players who could all have a long future within the organization.

With Carson Wiggins at 27, the Mets ended a four-year drought of selecting a pitcher in the first round. (Kumar Rocker was selected with their tenth overall pick in the 2020 draft.) Here’s an overview of their day one picks: 

No. 27. Carson Wiggins, RHP, Arkansas

Slot value: $3,466,500

Here’s an excerpt of our write-up on Wiggins from our DiamondCentric consensus board:

His fastball will sit at 98 mph, but has grabbed 101 mph. There’s a chase inducing slider with a ton of depth, and a sparsely used changeup in the mix, too. Wiggins managed 14 IP as a freshman, with a 2.98 FIP, 33.9 K%, and 15.3 BB%, I’d expect the pro journey to be similar to Jaxon’s strike-throwing concerns with elite arm talent and upside.

Wiggins comes with a high ceiling and considerable injury risk. If his last name rings a bell, he’s the younger brother of Jaxon Wiggins (currently ranked the Cubs’ No. 3 prospect).  Listed at 6’5”, 210 lbs, Wiggins is a big guy with an athletic build and clean delivery. His freshman season abruptly ended due to internal brace surgery in May 2025. 

If Wiggins stays healthy and develops a reliable off-speed pitch, he could be a mid-rotation arm. He limits hard contact and didn’t allow a single home run, though he posted a 15.3% walk rate. At worst, he could end up as a reliever with a nasty fastball/slider combo. His fastball reached 97.4 mph at the MLB Draft Combine and his slider generates a ton of spin.

92. Aiden Robbins, OF, Texas

Slot value: $859,900

Here’s an excerpt of our write-up on Robbins from the consensus board:

Robbins put up insane numbers in 2025 at Seton Hall before transferring to UT ahead of the 2026 season. While the bat-to-ball numbers have taken a bit of a dip in 2026, Robbins has a good approach at the plate, taking plenty of walks. Where he excels, is doing damage on contact. Robbins routinely launches baseballs north of 110 mph and has EV90 and barrel% numbers north of the 90th percentile in 2026. There's above-average speed and athleticism to boot. Robbins has the legs to be a threat on the basepaths and the range to play all three outfield positions, at least at the onset of his pro career. He's one of the sharpest risers on the college side in 2026, managing a .333/.426/.696 line with 24 home runs (36 XBH), a 13.7 BB%, a 22.9 K% and a 138 wRC+.

Robbins was expected to be selected in the first round, but fell to the third round (perhaps due to signing bonus concerns). He has some room to grow and add muscle to his 6’2”, 200 lb frame. Robbins posted one of the biggest jumps in power among college players. In his sophomore year at Seton Hall, he hit six home runs before mashing 24 at Texas as a junior. He’s shown sharp instincts on the basepaths, and is a competent fielder to boot.

120. Shane Sdao, LHP, Texas A&M

Slot value: $645,100

Here’s an excerpt of our write-up on Sdao from the consensus board:

After impressing as sophomore for Texas A&M in 2024 on a team that went to the CWS championship series, Shane Sdao needed TJ surgery in the fall and missed all of his 2025 draft eligible junior season. He turned down significant money to return to Texas A&M in 2026 and will be eligible again as a 22-year old senior. 2026 marked the first season Sdao operated solely as a starter, and the results were poor. His velocity hasn't fully returned post TJ. His fastball, which previously sat 92-94 mph and sat 97 mph, didn't miss many bats. Sdao shows an affinity for spin, with a nasty sweeper he can throw to left or right handed hitters, and a curveball that sits in the high-70s. There's strength to add in the frame, in addition to a five pitch arsenal, but Sdao is older for the class and managed a 5.35 FIP in 71.2 IP in 2026, striking out 24.5% of hitters and walking 5.9%.

Before his 2025 Tommy John surgery, Sdao posted a 2.96 ERA as a Texas A&M sophomore. This past season, he posted a 7.41 ERA across 71.2 innings pitched. His fastball occasionally flirts with 96-97 mph and he has solid command as evidenced by his 6.1% walk rate.

The Mets have one of the best farm systems in baseball. Overall, there’s a solid mix of pitchers and position players in the organization, but they decided to pick two high-risk arms on the first day of the draft. Wiggins and Sdao come with injury history and concern about reaching their ceilings post-elbow surgery. Robbins was a lottery ticket, who will immediately break the top ten, if not the top five, in the team's prospect rankings. There’s some concern with his ability to handle breaking balls as he advances through the minors, but he turns heads whenever he makes contact with the ball.

What are your thoughts on the Mets' day one performance? Drop them below in the comments!

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