What Arkansas baseball’s Carson Wiggins brings to New York Mets in MLB Draft first round
Article excerpt
Carson Wiggins is headed to New York. Here's what the Arkansas baseball righty brings to the Mets in the MLB Draft.
Arkansas baseball pitcher Carson Wiggins was selected by the New York Mets with the No. 27 overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft on Saturday, July 11. He is the second draft pick this weekend for the Razorbacks, and Wiggins surprisingly went ahead redshirt sophomore Hunter Dietz.
Wiggins' projected slot value at No. 27 is $3.47 million.
The Oklahoma native just wrapped up his sophomore season with Arkansas, but he did not throw a single pitch. He underwent Tommy John surgery in May 2025, and despite being declared "100% healthy" earlier this spring, Wiggins' doctor did not let him return at the latter stages of the 2026 season.
He is draft eligible this year after turning 21 earlier this summer. During his freshman season, Wiggins went 1-1 with three saves and a 3.21 ERA across 14 innings. He recorded 20 strikeouts with nine walks and didn't allow a single home run.
What Arkansas baseball's Carson Wiggins brings to New York Mets
Arkansas was hopeful Wiggins would not get drafted and return for a redshirt sophomore season in 2027. The Hogs envisioned Wiggins as their Friday night starter with minimal SEC experience. That's how good Arkansas' coaching staff projects the righty.
His return to Fayetteville took a hit with this selection, but we'll wait to see if Wiggins goes through with signing a professional contract. If he does, he will bring an electric fastball to the next level. He touched 102 mph as a freshman and the heater lives at 98 mph.
Wiggins also has a wipeout slider, but he still needs to develop a reliable third pitch and prove he can command his electric arsenal. Those will be key development pieces if he joins the minor league ranks or returns to school. Arkansas thinks Wiggins could develop into a top-10 pick with another year in Fayetteville.
Jackson Fuller covers Arkansas football, basketball and baseball for the Southwest Times Record, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at jfuller@usatodayco.com or follow him @jacksonfuller16 on X, formerly known as Twitter.
This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: What Arkansas baseball’s Carson Wiggins brings to New York Mets in MLB Draft first round