Top 50 New York Mets
There was a time when New York City had three teams, the Giants, the Dodgers and the Yankees but they were left with one when California baseball claimed the first two. The Big Apple is certainly large enough to handle a second team and the Mets came to fruition in 1962.The Mets were dreadful through the 60’s but the “Miracle Mets” shocked the world and won the World Series in 1969. They would return in 1973, though in a losing effort and another long period where they were not competitive, but by the late 80’s they enjoyed a resurgence and would win their second World Series in 1986.
This would be the last World Series that New York would win but they did win the NL Pennant in 2000 and 2015.
Note: Baseball lists are based on an amalgamation of tenure, traditional statistics, advanced statistics, playoff statistics and post-season accolades. This is a list up to the end of the 2024 Season.
As of this writing, Brandon Nimmo is set to enter his tenth MLB Season, all of which have been as a Met. The Outfielder may not feel like a superstar, but he has been very productive, and was a highly-touted First Round Pick in 2011. Nimmo debuted for the Mets in 2016, but was not a regular until 2018. He only had 114 Hits, but had an OBP of .404 that year, and the led the NL in Hit by Pitch (22), showcasing his ability to get to First. Nimmo had numerous ailments from 2019 to 2021, but when healthy…
How can you not love a guy named Mookie?You have to love him and he even if Mookie Wilson was actually named “Sour Bastard”, you would still love the guy because he had one of the most positive and infectious attitudes in Baseball and is easily one of the most popular players in Mets history.
Jeff McNeil is still with the New York Mets as of this writing, where his orthodox style (he competes with a knobless bat) is considered a throwback of sorts, as he is a contact hitter who rarely strikes out. McNeil has played multiple positions for the Mets (mostly between Second and Leftfield) after debuting in the Majors in 2018, and only needed one season to become an All-Star off a 23 Home Run/.318 Season. McNeil batted .311 in the COVID-shortened 2020 campaign, and after battling injuries in 2021, exploded in 2022, with his second All-Star season and his first Batting…
When you are nicknamed “Bad Dude” it is near impossible to not want to rank you as high as possible!
The New York Mets traded for Francisco Lindor before the 2021 season, and the Mets thought that had the infielder that they could build a contender around. That might be the case in 2025, but in 2021, it looked like a colossal mistake. Lindor, who signed a ten-year, $341 million extension, started off slow and was even booed by the Mets faithful. He rebounded, finishing with 20 Home Runs, but the slow start had New York fans thinking it was another case of a large contract gone bad. Since that time, Lindor had returned to MVP form. Lindor’s bat improved…
One of the most successful relief pitchers in New York Met history, John Franco had already been named to three All Star Games prior to joining New York. The left hander would only be a one time All Star with the Mets but he would lead the National League twice in Saves, capturing the Rolaids Reliever of the Year Award in 1990 and finished 7th in Cy Young voting in 1994. Franco would record 274 Saves as a Met and was inducted into their franchise Hall of Fame in 2012.
A very popular Starting Pitcher during his time with the New York Mets, Ron Darling would post a very impressive Won/Loss record with the New York Mets where he went 99 and 70. The native Hawaiian finished 5th in Cy Young Voting in 1986 and went to his lone All Star Game the year before. He would help New York win the 1986 World Series, and was chosen for the Mets Hall of Fame in 2020.
While Jerry Grote was never going dazzle anyone with his offense, he was highly regarded for his ability to handle a pitching staff and was a vital component to the “Miracle Mets” World Series Championship Team in 1969. Grote was a good defensive player and clubhouse leader and still was a two-time All-Star who managed to collect 994 Hits for New York.The Mets inducted Grote into their Hall of Fame in 1992.
There is nobody who can question that Gary Carter was at his best when he was a Montreal Expo, but “The Kid” was still a solid player when he signed as the Mets Catcher. Carter went to four All-Star Games as a Met (though realistically he shouldn’t have made the last two) but finished 6th and 3rd respectively in MVP voting for his first two seasons as a Met. Carter would help the Mets win the 1986 World Series Championship and will always be remembered in the Big Apple.The Mets honored Carter with a franchise Hall of Fame induction in…
From replacement player to two time Major League All-Star, Rick Reed had a very good run with the New York Mets, though it is astounding how much he is not regarded much at all in the Mets canon of history.
While Tom Glavine will always be best remembered for his tenure as an Atlanta Brave, the Hall of Famer still had plenty left in the tank when he arrived in New York. Going to two All-Star Games as a Met, Glavine would win 61 Games and was a solid presence in the rotation and remained one of the better hitting Pitchers in baseball.
Equally beloved by Mets fans and Phillies fans alike, Tug McGraw was part of the 1969 Mets team that won the World Series but it was after that where he became known as one of the top Relief Pitchers in the National League. Assuming a leadership role in the clubhouse, McGraw would have a pair of 25 plus Save seasons, which was huge in those days, and would receive a few MVP votes in each of those campaigns. McGraw was named an All-Star in 1972, and 21 years later, he entered the Mets Hall of Fame.
When you think of the MLB accomplishments of the Venezuelan Pitcher, Johan Santana, you think of the Minnesota Twins. That train of thought isn’t wrong, but it can’t be forgotten just how much he still did with the New York Mets before his arm broke down.
R.A. Dickey arrived to the New York Mets in his mid-30’s and for the first time in his career would become a permanent starter. It was the correct decision as Dickey proved to be a decent Starting Pitcher but his third season with New York was magical and is considered one of the best seasons ever by a knuckleballer. Dickey won the Cy Young going 20 and 6 and led the National League in Strikeouts. That season was so good that it propelled him to a higher spot than you would initially have someone who was only with the Mets…
Jesse Orosco had a 24 year career on MLB, the most notable of which was spent with the New York Mets. Orosco was the closer for the 1986 World Series Championship Team. A two time All Star in New York, Orosco recorded 107 Saves as a Met and would have five scoreless innings in the ’86 World Series. It was Orosco who was on the mound during both final pitches in both the NLCS and the World Series in ‘86.
In 1988, Kevin McReynolds finished 3rd in MVP voting. The Outfielder had four straight seasons where he had over 20 Home Runs. McReynolds was a popular player who was an efficient stealer in regards to Stolen Bases. He would have 791 Hits as a Met.
John Olerud was only with the New York Mets for three seasons, but the already two time World Series Champion subtly racked up a lot of hits, including a 1998 season where he batted .354 and finished 12th in MVP voting. Overall, Olerud had an excellent Slash Line as a Met of .315/.425/.501, which is an incredible number that propelled him to this rank.
Lenny “Nails” Dykstra would have more success in Philadelphia (and would become infamously known for other things later) but it was in New York where he first cut his teeth as a star in Baseball. Dykstra was a fan favorite showcasing his grit and was a big part of the Mets 1986 World Series Championship team, where he was considered the team’s “spark plug”.
Daniel Murphy had a good run with the New York Mets where he averaged .288 over seven seasons. The Second Basemen was named an All Star in 2014, and while 2015 saw him put up decreased numbers he exploded by batting .529 in the NLCS where he was named the MVP. After collecting 967 Hits for New York, Murphy would sign as a Free Agent with the Washington Nationals where he won the Slugging and OPS Title and finished second in MVP voting.