Mets sign 20 of 23 picks in this year's Draft

July 25th, 2023

Below is a list of every player drafted by the Mets.

Each club had until 5 p.m. ET on Tuesday, July 25, to come to terms with its Draft selections. If a player has exhausted his collegiate eligibility, he can sign at any time up until one week prior to the next year’s Draft.

Draft-and-follow picks -- high school and junior college players selected after the 10th round who attend a two-year college after the Draft -- can sign with their selecting teams for up to $250,000 up until a week prior to the following year’s Draft.

Players drafted from Round 11 on do not count against the bonus pools unless their signing bonus exceeds $150,000; any amount over that total will count against the pool.

Total bonus pool: $8,440,400
MLB rank: 21

CB-A (32): Colin Houck, SS, Parkview HS (GA)
Pick value: $2,607,500
Signing bonus: $2,750,000
Houck, 18, was named the 2022-2023 Georgia Gatorade Baseball Player of the Year after leading Parkview High School to the Class 7A State Finals in 2023. The Lilburn, GA native batted .487 with eight home runs, 50 RBI, 16 stolen bases and posted a .587 OBP this past season. The No. 12 prospect according to MLB Pipeline and the No. 21 prospect according to Baseball America, Houck became the fourth-ever player from Parkview High School selected in the first round of the First-Year Player Draft joining 12-year veteran OF Jeff Francouer (2002, 23rd overall), All-Star 1B Matt Olson (2012, 47th overall) and INF Josh Hart (2013, 37th overall).

The 6-foot-2, 195-pounder is also a three-star quarterback recruit and received several offers from Power 5 programs after throwing for 2,189 yards and 24 touchdowns during his senior season. Prior to signing with the Mets, Houck was committed to play baseball at Mississippi State.

"It's a dream come true for sure," Houck said at Citi Field after signing.

2 (56): Brandon Sproat, RHP, Florida
Pick value: $1,474,500
Signing bonus: $1,474,500
Sproat, 22, was previously drafted by the Mets in the third round of the 2022 First-Year Player Draft. The No. 54 prospect by MLB Pipeline and the No. 56 prospect by ESPN, Sproat was a Second Team All-SEC selection in 2023 after recording 134 strikeouts over 106.1 innings and held opposing batters to a .222 average. The Pace, FL native struck out 28 batters in four postseason starts this year, including 14 over two starts in the College World Series. In 56 career games over four seasons at the University of Florida, Sproat went 19-8 with a 4.27 ERA (106 ER/223.2 IP) and 242 strikeouts.

The 6-foot-3, 215-pounder was the third Gator taken in the 2023 First-Year Player Draft joining OF Wyatt Langford (fourth overall) and RHP Hurston Waldrep (24th overall).

3 (91): Nolan McLean, TWP, Oklahoma State
Pick value: $747,600
Signing bonus: $747,600
The Mets intend to let the athletic McLean continue as a two-way player now that he's signed onto the organization. He will pitch in relief and serve as a designated hitter to open his pro career.

3 (101): Kade Morris, RHP, Nevada
Pick value: $666,500
Signing bonus: $666,500
The Mets agreed to terms with Morris on July 15 for his exact slot value, according to a source.

4 (123): Wyatt Hudepohl, RHP, UNC Charlotte
Pick value: $536,500
Signing bonus: $500,000
The Mets agreed to terms with Ewing on July 15 on a slightly under-slot deal, according to a source.

4C (134): A.J. Ewing, SS, Springsboro HS (OH)
Pick value: $483,000
Signing bonus: $675,000
The Mets agreed to terms with Ewing on July 15 on an over-slot deal, according to a source.

4C (135): Austin Troesser, RHP, Missouri
Pick value: $478,200
Signing bonus: $350,000
Mets announced July 14 they had signed Troesser.

5 (159): Zach Thornton, LHP, Grand Canyon University
Pick value: $378,000
Signing bonus: $350,000
Mets announced July 19 they had signed Thornton.

6 (186): Jack Wenninger, RHP, Illinois
Pick value: $299,800
Signing bonus: $225,000
Mets announced July 14 they had signed Wenninger.

7 (216): Noah Hall, RHP, South Carolina
Pick value: $235,000
Signing bonus: $176,250
Mets announced July 14 they had signed Hall.

8 (246): Boston Baro, SS, Capistrano Valley HS (CA)
Pick value: $192,900
Signing bonus: $700,000
Baro is an athletic shortstop with an advanced approach that belies his age as a California prep star. He has the tools and instincts to remain a shortstop long-term.

"It feels definitely like a dream come true," Baro said after signing. "You put a bunch of hours into the game. To see it all kind of fall into place is awesome."

9 (276): Nick Lorusso, 3B, Maryland
Pick value: $175,100
Signing bonus: $50,000
Mets announced July 14 they had signed Lorusso.

10 (306): Christian Pregent, C, Stetson
Pick value: $165,800
Signing bonus: $50,000
Mets announced July 14 they had signed Pregent.

11 (336): Brett Banks, RHP, UNC Wilmington
Signing bonus: $200,000

12 (366): Brady Kirtner, RHP, Virginia Tech
Did not agree to terms.

13 (396): Ben Simon, RHP, Elon University
Signing bonus: $150,000

14 (426): John Valle, RHP, Jefferson High (Fla.)
Signing bonus: $150,000
Mets announced July 19 they had signed Valle.

15 (456): Justin Lawson, RHP, NC State
Signing bonus: $125,000

16 (486): Jake Zitella, 3B, St. Charles East High (IL)
Signing bonus: $200,000

17 (516): Bryce Jenkins, RHP, Tennessee
Signing bonus: $180,000
Mets announced July 19 they had signed Jenkins.

18 (546): Gavyn Jones, LHP, White Oaks High (TX)
Did not agree to terms.

19 (576): Christian Little, RHP, LSU
Did not agree to terms.

20 (606): Kellum Clark, OF, Mississippi State
Signing bonus: $150,000

Every team's signings:

ALW: HOU | LAA | OAK | SEA | TEX
ALC: CLE | CWS | DET | KC | MIN
ALE: BAL | BOS | NYY | TB | TOR
NLW: ARI | COL | LAD | SD | SF
NLC: CHC | CIN | MIL | PIT | STL
NLE: ATL | MIA | NYM | PHI | WSH

How bonus pools and pick values work

Each choice in the first 10 rounds comes with an assigned value, with the total for a club's selections equaling what it can spend in those rounds without incurring a penalty. If a player taken in the top 10 rounds doesn't sign, his pick's value gets subtracted from his team's pool. Clubs near the top of the Draft often spend less than the assigned value for those choices and use the savings to offer more money to later selections.

Teams that exceed their bonus pool face a penalty. Clubs that outspend their allotment by 0-5 percent pay a 75 percent tax on the overage. At higher thresholds, clubs lose future picks: a first-rounder and a 75 percent tax for surpassing their pool by more than 5 and up to 10 percent; a first- and a second-rounder and a 100 percent tax for more than 10 and up to 15 percent; and two first-rounders and a 100 percent tax for more than 15 percent.

Bonus pools by club
Pirates: $16,185,700
Tigers: $15,747,200
Nationals: $14,502,400
Twins: $14,345,600
Athletics: $14,255,600
Reds: $13,785,200
Mariners: $13,170,900
Marlins: $12,829,600
Royals: $12,313,500
Rockies: $11,909,800
D-backs: $11,084,300
Brewers: $10,950,600
Rays: $10,872,100
Orioles: $10,534,800
Red Sox: $10,295,100
Rangers: $9,925,300
Giants: $9,916,900
White Sox: $9,072,800
Cubs: $8,962,000
Guardians: $8,736,700
Mets: $8,440,400
Braves: $8,341,700
Angels: $8,328,900
Dodgers: $7,274,600
Astros: $6,747,900
Blue Jays: $6,529,700
Cardinals: $6,375,100
Padres: $5,416,000
Yankees: $5,299,400
Phillies: $5,185,500