Eli Serrano, Photo by Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports
With the 111th overall pick in the 2024 MLB draft, the New York Mets selected outfielder Eli Serrano III from NC State University. Serrano is a 6’5” lefty who entered the draft after his sophomore season at NC State.
Serrano isn’t the first in his family to be drafted. His dad was a second-round pick of the Giants in 1988, and his mom played basketball at Stetson.
Serrana was a teammate at Pro5 Baseball Academy with current Mets prospect Ryan Clifford.
Serrano is one of four NC State players to start in all 61 games of the 2024 season. He batted lead-off in the last 27 games of the year and finished the season batting .286 with 70 hits and 56 runs scored. He hit nine home runs and nine doubles.
The 201lber from Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina, ranked third for the Wolfpack with 70 hits, 22 multi-hit games, and seven stolen bases.
In the field, he finished with a .988 fielding percentage and just two defensive errors. He had six outfield assists and 156 putouts.
Through his first two years with NC State, he had a .832 OPS and 16 home runs. He is known for his excellent bat-to-ball skills and raw power.
Serrano earned 2023 ACC All-Freshman team honors.
— MetsMinors.Net (@Mets_Minors) July 15, 2024
With a tall 6’5” frame, Serrano is known for hit-over-power abilities. While he does tend to hit more line drives, he can make elite contact both in and out of the strike zone, and he has above-average raw power. While he is still growing into his frame, he has impressed on both sides of the ball, specifically in the Athens Super regional, in which Serrano helped lead the Pack to a victory over No. 10 Georgia.
MLB Pipeline ranks Serrano at No. 224. He has an easy left-handed swing that provides leverage and consistent contact.
He isn’t known as the fastest runner either, but once he gets moving, he can cover ground. He has a strong ability to read balls well in the outfield and can move toward them well with good instincts in center field. He also shows average-to-solid arm strength and will more than likely present well as a corner outfielder professionally.
