As the 2025 MLB Draft begins, speculation continues around the Mets’ draft strategy. In 2025, the Mets hold 38th overall pick with their first choice, having been bumped down from 28th as a result of the Mets’ luxury tax excesses. Several major outlets have weighed in with a last mock draft or two featuring differing projections for the Mets, offering a glimpse at the various directions the team could take.

With the Mets’ farm system relatively solid across the board, fans should expect the team to take a balanced approach in the draft, mixing high-upside high school arms with polished college hitters and pitchers — though with no clear-cut position of need, their exact strategy remains hard to predict.

Projected Pick: Brandon Compton, OF, Arizona State

In their most recent predictions, Baseball America links the Mets to 21-year-old Arizona State outfielder Brandon Compton, a power-hitting prospect who broke out in 2024 as the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year with a .354/.427/.661 line and a strong showing in the Cape Cod League (.903 OPS). Though his numbers dipped slightly in 2025 (.271/.379/.486, 9 HR), he showed improvement in his approach, cutting his strikeout rate from 25% to 21% while boosting his walk rate from 11% to 15%. Compton’s raw power remains his greatest tool, though questions about his hit tool and defensive limitations likely confine him to left field.

Projected Pick: Devin Taylor, OF, Indiana or Jack Bauer, LHP, Lincoln-Way East HS (IL)

MLB Pipeline’s first choice for the Mets was Devin Taylor, an outfielder for Indiana, who was one of the more accomplished college bats in this class after his three-year run in Bloomington. Taylor set Indiana’s career home run record with 54 long balls and posted a career-best .374/.494/.706 line with 18 home runs in 2025, showcasing his blend of plus power and advanced plate discipline. A left-handed hitter with big bat speed and all-fields power, Taylor has steadily improved his approach, cutting down on chases while maintaining strong contact skills and handling spin. His defensive profile is limited — likely a left fielder long-term with fringy speed and arm strength — but his offensive upside is what carries his value, with consistent success both in the Big Ten and the Cape Cod League.

Jonathan Mayo, also of MLB Pipeline, had a different vision for the Mets, projecting them to select Jack Bauer, a left-handed pitcher from Lincoln-Way East HS (IL). Bauer has recently become one of the most hyped prep arms in this class thanks to his record-breaking velocity. Bauer touched 103 mph in a playoff game this spring, the hardest recorded fastball ever by a high school lefty, though questions remain about his command and durability. His fastball grades as a 75 on the 20-80 scale, with a 55-grade slider and developing 50-grade changeup, though his control still lags behind at 45. While some evaluators are wary of sudden velocity spikes and the risk that comes with them, Bauer’s combination of elite arm strength and improving feel for secondary pitches makes him one of the most intriguing upside plays in the first round.

Projected Pick: Patrick Forbes, RHP, Louisville

ESPN projects the Mets to pick Louisville right-hander Patrick Forbes, ranked No. 33 on ESPN’s draft prospect board, likely in the 20s or 30s overall. Forbes, Kentucky’s top 2022 prep prospect as a power-hitting third baseman, transitioned to pitching full-time in 2025 and ranked third nationally with 14.8 strikeouts per nine innings. His high-spin fastball sits at 94-96 mph with a peak of 100, complemented by a developing slider graded 55 and an upper-80s changeup still in refinement. Despite a flexor strain that sidelined him briefly, Forbes impressed by helping Louisville reach the College World Series. His delivery shows some effort, but if he continues to improve his changeup and control, he has the potential to develop into a front-of-the-rotation starter.