Tanner Witt, Photo by Aileen Vela of The Daily Texan
As Day 3 of the MLB draft continued, the Mets selected three more pitchers.
14th Round: RHP Tanner Witt, University of Texas
The 6-foot-6 Witt, once considered a potential first-round pick, is one of the more interesting selections the Mets have made.
As a freshman in 2021, he dazzled, pitching to a 3.16 ERA in 28 games, all in relief. He struck out 73 batters and walked 25 in 57 innings with a 1.140 WHIP. He was strong again as a sophomore in 2022—this time as a starter—allowing just two earned runs in 11 innings with a 17-to-5 strikeout-to-walk ratio before he had to undergo Tommy John Surgery, which cost him the rest of the season.
He just hasn’t been the same pitcher since. Witt returned late in 2023, making six starts with a 10.97 ERA in 10 and ⅔ innings. He stuck out eight, walked eight and hit four. He made five appearances in 2024, two starts, posting a 5.79 ERA in 9 and ⅓ innings with six strikeouts, eight walks and four hit-by-pitches.
Taylor Blake Ward, of The Sporting Tribune, said Witt presently has an upper 80s fastball and limited feel for his off-speed stuff. Before his injury, Ward said, he was a strike-thrower with a high-spin fastball and curveball.
@wittnesstwitty back on the bump for second time with @DeanDoxakisNPA and looking good! Big things ahead maybe sooner than later! #GFT pic.twitter.com/R9wcip2pJn
— Kevin Witt (@headbuII) July 11, 2024
The Mets, who have had a lot of pitching development success lately, hope to recapture some of what made Witt once a highly-touted draft prospect.
Witt was previously drafted in the 18th round by the Baltimore Orioles in 2023.
15th Round: RHP Owen Woodward, University of Houston
Woodward, a JUCO transfer, spent two seasons with Houston. He made 25 appearances as a junior in 2023 and recorded a 4.71 ERA in 42 innings with 51 strikeouts and 16 walks. Only one of those appearances was a start, and he also had four saves.
— Antonio Urquídez (@Antoni0u) July 16, 2024
In 2024, as a senior, Woodward made 10 appearances with a 5.40 ERA in 23 and ⅓ innings. He struck out 36 and walked just four.
Woodward has a mid-90s fastball and throws a slider and a (less effective) changeup.
On April 12, his first start of the season, he injured what appeared to be his right elbow during a game vs. Witt’s University of Texas.
He was in the midst of his best appearance of the season when he was injured and missed the rest of the year.
Woodward was also involved in an on-field incident in 2022 while attending Weatherford College, the JUCO school he was with before transferring to Houston. After giving up a home run, Woodward tackled the opposing batter as he rounded third base. Tackled might be a bit of an understatement — he speared him with enough force to make an NFL linebacker proud.
Woodward was given a four-game suspension for his actions.
16th Round: RHP Josh Blum, University of Southern California
Blum, who has exclusively been used as a reliever in his college career, worked as USC’s closer this past season. He recorded 10 saves over 27 appearances with a 1.87 ERA in 33 and ⅔ innings. He struck out 45 and walked 11.
Blum has a low-to-mid 90s fastball to go with a cutter and changeup.
He appeared in every game of the Pac-12 tournament for the Trojans this season, recording a save in each of the team’s first three games before being tagged with the loss in the championship game.
The Mets selected Blum’s teammate, Will Watson, in the seventh round on Monday.