John Stearns joined the organization in December 1974 via a massive six-player blockbuster trade that sent beloved relief ace Tug McGraw to the Philadelphia Phillies. Stearns, a former standout gridiron defensive back at the University of Colorado who was also drafted into the NFL, brought a raw, contact-sport intensity to the diamond.

Stearns was a remarkable athlete, combining a strong defensive arm with impressive, speedy base-running skills. During the 1978 season, he made history by stealing 25 bases, setting a modern National League single-season record for catchers that lasted for more than twenty years. He complemented his speed with a focused batting style, achieving career highs with 15 home runs and 73 RBIs, proving himself to be a true dual-threat player.

Although the Mets faced several tough, ninety-loss seasons in the late 1970s, Stearns remained a consistent professional whose individual talent stood out among his peers. He received four notable National League All-Star selections (1977, 1979, 1980, and 1982), often being the sole representative of the team. His aggressive playing style peaked in 1982, when he achieved a career-high batting average of .293 and hit 25 doubles in only 98 games.

Elbow and shoulder ailments severely limited his playing time after 1982. He made his final big-league appearance in September 1984, marking the definitive end of a career in which he played in all but one of his 810 major-league games for the Mets. He departed Queens with 695 hits and a highly respectable .341 on-base percentage.

Edgardo Alfonzo made his debut on Shea Stadium's turf in 1995 as a notably poised young infielder from Venezuela. Over time, he subtly developed into one of the most versatile and clutch players in franchise history. Although he did not have the flashy public profile of some peers, he served as the vital backbone of the Mets' infield, moving effortlessly between third and second base.

Anchoring the iconic late-1990s infield, Alfonzo achieved a historic milestone by accumulating over 150 hits in five different seasons with the Mets. He combined this volume with a keen eye at the plate, hitting over .300 in four of those years. His peak offensive performance came in 1999, when he hit 27 home runs and drove in 108 RBIs, earning the National League Silver Slugger Award at second base. He continued his strong play with an All-Star selection in 2000, batting .324 with 109 runs scored, helping the Mets secure their fourth National League Pennant.

Beyond the numbers, Alfonzo achieved peer recognition, finishing in the top 15 of NL MVP twice (8th in 1999, 15th in 2000) and receiving votes in three years. He combined offensive efficiency with stellar defense, providing Gold Glove-caliber glove work wherever manager Bobby Valentine put him. In Flushing, he proved to be a postseason weapon, launching a two-run homer in the 1999 Wild Card game and a historic grand slam in the NLDS against Arizona.

Alfonso departed the Mets for San Francisco as a Free Agent in 2002.  As a Met, he collected 1,136 hits, 120 home runs, and a stellar .374 on-base percentage.  In 2020, he was selected for the Mets Hall of Fame.

Al Leiter first entered the home clubhouse at Shea Stadium in 1998 as a local from Toms River, New Jersey, who had grown up supporting the Amazins. Coming over in a trade from the Florida Marlins shortly after their 1997 World Series win, the seasoned left-hander took on a leading role at the top of the rotation.

Leiter demonstrated remarkable consistency, winning at least 10 games in each of his seven seasons with the Mets and accumulating 95 wins overall. His strong pitching and resilient mindset drove a successful period, making his staff a formidable challenge for NL East competitors. In the 1999 and 2000 seasons, he established himself as one of the team’s top big-game pitchers. In 1999, Leiter delivered a historic performance by pitching a two-hit complete game shutout against the Reds in the high-pressure one-game Wild Card tiebreaker, securing a spot in October for New York. The following year, he earned an All-Star nod, posting a 16-8 record and maintaining a 2.93 ERA over four postseason starts, helping the Mets reach the Subway Series.

In 2002, he added a unique piece of baseball history to his resume by becoming the first pitcher in the Major Leagues to record a victory against all 30 franchises, but it came to an end in Flushing after the 2004 season, when the Mets declined his option. 

With the Mets, Leiter owned a 95-67 record, a 3.42 ERA, and 1,106 strikeouts, and was inducted into the Mets Hall of Fame in 2023.

David Cone first arrived in Flushing in March 1987 through a significant trade with the Kansas City Royals, where he joined Chris Jelic in exchange for Ed Hearn, Rick Anderson, and Mauro Gozzo. Equipped with a deceptive multi-angle delivery and a deadly split-finger fastball, Cone rapidly secured a spot in the starting rotation. Alongside Doc Gooden, he helped build a powerful pitching duo that dominated National League hitters for nearly five years.

Cone achieved a historic milestone by winning consecutive National League strikeout titles in 1990 with 233 strikeouts and in 1991 with 241 strikeouts. This period included a legendary, record-tying 19-strikeout game against the Phillies on the last day of the 1991 season. His exceptional, swing-and-miss ability was unmatched, making him a top-tier pitcher for the Mets who regularly surpassed 200 innings with ease.

His 1992 campaign authored a truly bizarre and historic masterpiece of era dominance. Before the cash-strapped Mets moved him, Cone struck out 214 batters in 196.2 frames, leading the league in strikeout rate and tossing five shutouts. Even though he was dealt to the Toronto Blue Jays in late August, his National League body of work was so overwhelming that he still finished second in the NL strikeout race from another country. Combined with his Toronto output, his 261 punchouts paced all of Major League Baseball.  Cone continued that excellent year by helping the Jays win their first World Series.  Incidentally, he won four more as a New York Yankee.

He would return to New York briefly for one more attempt at baseball in 2003, though that would be only for five contests.  Over his two runs with the Mets, he would compile a record of 81-51 with 1,172 strikeouts.