​In 1983, the Mets acquired a compensation package after right-hander Pete Falcone left as a free agent to sign with the Atlanta Braves. Atlanta gave New York its first-round draft pick and a supplemental first-round pick as compensation for Falcone’s departure. With the Braves’ first-round pick, the Mets selected third baseman Eddie Williams with the 4th overall pick. They then used the additional first-round pick acquired from Atlanta to sign outfielder Stan Jefferson, and their supplemental first-round pick, the 27th overall selection, to draft left-handed pitcher Calvin Schiraldi.
Calvin Schiraldi was born on June 16, 1962, in Houston, Texas, and grew up in the Austin area. His father, Joe, attended Texas A&M on a basketball and track scholarship and understood the diligence required to excel at a high level, even as an amateur, helping Calvin develop his baseball talents. By the time Schiraldi reached Westlake High School in Austin, the 6’4″ left-hander was already on the radar of professional scouts, and in his later high school years, the stands were often crowded with talent evaluators.
In June 1980, Schiraldi was selected by the Chicago White Sox in the 17th round of the MLB Draft. Rather than signing, he chose to attend college, turning down the White Sox opportunity to pursue his education at the University of Texas. As a Longhorn, Schiraldi pitched for Texas across three seasons, facing both triumphs and challenges. In his freshman year of 1981, he appeared in several games but was not included on Texas’s College World Series roster, a tournament that saw the Longhorns eliminated by Arizona State.
Schiraldi’s 1982 season reflected a greater role on the pitching staff, culminating in a 3.23 ERA for the year. During the 1982 College World Series, he started a game against Wichita State. In the second inning, he hit Wichita outfielder Kevin Penner in the face with a fastball, fracturing four bones, knocking him unconscious, and reportedly placing him in a coma for two days. The incident unsettled Schiraldi, who went on to allow six runs in that game as Wichita State defeated Texas and knocked the Longhorns out of the tournament.
The 1983 season represented Schiraldi’s breakthrough. As a junior, he delivered his strongest performance, teaming with Roger Clemens to guide Texas to a College World Series championship and earning the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player honor. A few days later, the Mets drafted Schiraldi with the 27th overall pick in the 1983 MLB Draft. They assigned him to the Lynchburg Mets, their High-A Carolina League affiliate at the time, where he made six starts and posted a 4.45 ERA across 30.1 innings, allowing 28 hits, walking 17, and striking out 41. He was subsequently promoted to the Jackson Mets, the Double-A affiliate in the Texas League, where he appeared in seven starts and posted a 5.82 ERA over 38.2 innings, yielding 41 hits, issuing 29 walks, and recording 26 strikeouts.
Overall, Schiraldi’s first foray into professional baseball yielded a composite 5.22 ERA across 69.0 innings, during which he allowed 69 hits and issued 46 walks while recording 67 strikeouts. These early minor league performances reflected a pitcher with significant upside and a trajectory that the Mets hoped would translate into major-league success.