​The Mets selected right-handed pitcher Carson Wiggins with the 27th overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft. Wiggins, 21, did not pitch during the most recent college season after undergoing Tommy John surgery with an internal brace in May 2025 that shut down his freshman year at Arkansas. “Thank y’all for taking a chance on me. I appreciate the Mets very much,” Wiggins said during a Zoom call with members of the New York media on Saturday. “Excited to get things rolling for sure.” Before his season-ending elbow injury, he appeared in 14 games out of the Razorbacks’ bullpen, tossing 14 innings and allowing six runs (five earned) on seven hits and nine walks while recording 20 strikeouts. The 6-foot-5 right-hander is a hard thrower, averaging 98.7 mph on his fastball and reaching up to 102 mph in his lone college season. At the MLB Draft Combine in late June, Wiggins threw 15 pitches, with his fastball peaking at 97.4 mph and a slider averaging 85 mph. He also features a curveball and a changeup.
“When asked about his rehab, velocity is back up to where it should be, no issues there,” Wiggins said. “Got rid of a lot of the big misses, haven’t had any hiccups, so I’m excited to just get things rolling.” Wiggins felt the combine appearance was “very helpful,” not only for showcasing his velocity but also for demonstrating that he’s healthy, that his stuff is good, that he’s added pitches, and that he’s a different pitcher than he was two years ago. He added that he has improved by thinking more like a pitcher rather than merely a thrower during his injury-shortened college period.
Coming out of high school in Oklahoma, Wiggins was rated the No. 35 prospect by Perfect Game and the No. 10 right-handed prospect in the 2024 high school class. The pick carried a slot value of $3,466,500.
“The Mets took a home run swing in drafting Arkansas right-hander Carson Wiggins with the No. 27 pick of the 2026 MLB Draft,” wrote SNY prospects analyst Joe DeMayo. “After 14 innings in the 2025 season, he underwent internal brace surgery and missed all of the 2026 season. When he is right, he possesses some of the best pure stuff in the entire class, headlined by two elite offerings: a fastball that averaged 99 mph and topped at 102, and an upper-80s slider that is almost untouchable. He has also shown a curveball, splitter, and cutter. He is healthy now, having thrown at the MLB Combine last month and reaching 97 mph in his bullpen session there. There are some real questions about his command, as he walked 15.3 percent of the batters he faced as a freshman for the Razorbacks. If the Mets can cultivate average command, he has at least No. 3 starter upside; otherwise, his stuff could translate into an elite relief role at the next level. If he signs, Wiggins will be the first pitcher the Mets drafted and signed in the first round since David Peterson in 2017.”
The Mets’ 2026 first-round selection marks a notable addition to their rebuilding plan, with Wiggins presenting a blend of elite velocity and projectable upside. If he can regain and sustain command, he could emerge as a middle- to late-rotation starter with a high ceiling, or potentially an elite engine for a late-inning relief corps. As with any dbox prospect, the path will hinge on his ability to translate raw stuff into consistent efficiency on the mound and to harness his repertoire across a full season.
If he signs, Wiggins becomes the Mets’ first first-round pitcher to sign since David Peterson in 2017, signaling a shift toward maximizing upside with late-developing athletes who have shown flashes of premium velocity, advanced metrics, and durability through rehabilitation. The organization will likely prioritize polish, command development, and a strategic plan to integrate his curveball, changeup, and cutter as complementary weapons, ensuring his fastball velocity translates into both swing-and-might and efficiency within the strike zone.
In the meantime, Wiggins’ 2026 draft slot reflects a calculated risk with potential for a high return, aligning with the Mets’ broader strategy of targeting high-upside arms who can be groomed within their development pipeline. The industry will be watching closely as Wiggins transitions from rehab to live competition and, eventually, to the majors, where his combination of velocity and repertoire could redefine his ceiling if his command catches up with his stuff.