The Mets have secured their first two picks of the 2015 first-year player draft, announcing they’ve signed OF Desmond Lindsay and LHP Max Wotell.
Lindsay was the 53rd overall pick in the 2015 first-year player draft, Wotell the 88th.
According to MLB.com’s Jim Callis, Wotell signed for $775,000. The slot value was worth $666,500.
Lindsay’s bonus is $1.1 million, according to Callis – the slot value was also $1.1 million.
Lindsay, 18, is a right-handed hitting senior at Out-of-Door Academy in Sarasota. He is known for his big-time bat speed and power – he hit .473 with two home runs and 22 RBI with 17 stolen bases as a junior last year. Before signing with the Mets, Lindsay originally committed to the University of North Carolina for next year. Baseball America placed Lindsay on the 2015 Preseason High School All-America Third Team, and he was number 72 on ESPN’s Keith Law’s top 100 prospect list.
Lindsay appeared at the Metropolitan Baseball Classic last August at Citi Field – he played for the Evoshield Canes.
“I grew up watching Mets games with my grandmother,” Lindsay said in a statement. “Playing professional baseball has always been a dream but playing for the Mets is amazing. I played at Citi Field in the Metropolitan Baseball Classic last year and I loved it.”
Wotell, 18, is an 18-year-old from Marvin Ridge, North Carolina. Originally having committed to the University of Arizona, Wotell was ranked 144th in Baseball America’s top-200 pre-draft list. He was named North Carolina’s Gatorade Player of the year after recording 120 strikeouts in only 65 1/3 innings. He is said to have a low-to-mid-90s fastball.
“It really hasn’t sunk in yet,” Wotell said on Thursday. “It’s unbelievable and I’m incredibly excited to be a Met, definitely a dream come true.”
After forfeiting their first-round selection and slot allotment after signing Michael Cuddyer, the Mets had $3.6 million to spend in the 2015 first-year player draft.
To see a complete list of draft picks who have signed with the Mets, check out St. Lucie to Flushing.
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