​Following in the footsteps of his elder brother Jaxon, a top Cubs prospect, Carson Wiggins transformed his electric repertoire into high draft buzz and a splashy pay-off. With bragging rights awaiting him at the family table during holidays, Carson secured the No. 27 overall selection for the New York Mets in the 2026 MLB Draft, while Jaxon had gone No. 68 to the same organization in 2023, adding a sibling-style rivalry narrative to the Wiggins household. Wiggins was already a highly regarded prospect out of high school in 2024, when he first touched 100 mph at the age of 17. Baseball America pegged him as the No. 78 prospect and MLB Pipeline listed him No. 79 in the 2024 MLB Draft rankings. He ultimately went undrafted that year due to his firm commitment to Arkansas, where his brother was also pursuing college baseball.
His collegiate career began in the Razorbacks’ bullpen, but after relief duty totaling 14 innings as a freshman, Wiggins underwent Tommy John surgery with an internal brace, causing him to miss the remainder of the 2025 season and the entire 2026 college campaign. At 6-foot-5 and 215 pounds, when he is right, Wiggins possesses some of the most electric stuff in his draft class, highlighted by what MLB Pipeline graded as an 80-grade fastball that sits at 99 mph and reaches 102 mph. His upper-80s slider was nearly unhittable in the limited college sample, registering a 74 percent whiff rate. Wiggins’ athleticism on the mound has long been a sought-after attribute for the Mets, a quality that would be visible if you checked his high school basketball highlights.
Now 21, the draft-eligible sophomore demonstrated his health and form by throwing at the MLB Combine in Arizona last month. He did not go all-out, but he pushed to 97 mph in that bullpen, showcased his signature slider, and added a curveball that he has begun to spin more effectively, averaging 2,719 rpm at the Combine, along with a changeup that trails behind his primary offerings. The Mets also watched him throw bullpen sessions during the latter half of the SEC schedule as the college season progressed. While MLB Pipeline initially ranked Wiggins as the No. 88 prospect in the 2026 class, scouts widely expected him to climb higher than that mark, with many suggesting he could go inside the top 50. One scout summarized the sentiment by saying, “102 with a wipeout slider simply don’t grow on trees.”
Ultimately, the Mets acted decisively to secure Wiggins at No. 27, unable to wait for a possible fall that might never come, since they forfeited a second-round pick and their compensatory fourth-round pick received for the Dodgers’ signing of Edwin Díaz, tied to Bo Bichette’s qualifying offer last winter. The allure of Wiggins’ stuff is undeniable, but the path to long-term success is more nuanced. His elite velocity and devastating slider present a tantalizing upside, yet questions about his control and consistency date back to his high school days. For the Mets, Wiggins represents a high-risk, high-reward investment: a project with staggering arm speed and a proven track record of elite velocity, complemented by a recent return from major elbow surgery.
In practical terms, Wiggins’ ceiling is sky-high if his command can be refined and his health maintained. The Mets’ player development team will have their work cut out for them as they translate raw velocity and spin into repeatable mechanics and a well-rounded pitcher. If Wiggins can harness his athleticism, maintain his velocity deep into outings, and improve his control, he could evolve into a front-line starter or a high-leverage reliever with front-office appeal. For Mets fans, the selection at No. 27 carries a mix of excitement and cautious optimism: a rare arm with the kind of pure gas and spin that don’t come along every day, paired with the challenge of rehabilitating, refining, and projecting a durable, productive professional pitcher.