Latest news with #MitchVoit
Forbes
2 days ago
- Sport
- Forbes
New York Mets Sign First-Round Pick And Two-Way Player Mitch Voit
The New York Mets have signed first-round pick Mitch Voit, a two-way player out of the University of Michigan. The 20-year-old second baseman/pitcher got $1.75 million to sign. Voit immediately said playing second comes first and pitching is second for him. He had arm surgery last July and did not pitch this year. 'I've said this before, if it comes down to it, and the only opportunity is to be a pitcher in the big leagues for the New York Mets, yeah,' he told reporters Friday. 'But our plan going forward will be as a position player.' COLUMBUS: Mitch Voit holds onto the ball after colliding with Michigan teammate Cody Jefferis while ... More trying to catch a fly ball during the game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Bill Davis Stadium on May 19, 2023. (Photo by Jason Mowry/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) That's just fine with the Mets. 'We were able to add a dynamic player to the organization as we continue to build our farm system,' vice president of amateur scouting Kris Gross said in a news release. 'I want to congratulate Mitch and his family on this momentous occasion. They have put a lot of hard work and sacrifice into getting to this point. Mitch has shown the ability to play at a high-level at several positions and make an impact at the plate. He has great makeup and a tremendous amount of potential.' The six-foot right-hander's signing bonus is below what the slot value for the 38th overall pick was designated before this week's draft at $2,569,400. had him ranked No. 63 overall entering the draft. Asked for a scouting report on himself by Anthony DiComo of after the draft, Voit said: 'I'm a winner, plainly put.' Voit enhanced his status this spring, hitting.346 with 14 homers,14 stolen bases and 60 RBI in 56 games for the Wolverines. In his three-year college career, he batted .303 in 169 games. 'He made a lot of strides, this being his first year to focus on hitting,' Gross said. 'The plate discipline improved. The contact and the ability to impact – it's a short, compact, explosive swing. We really think he can affect the game in numerous ways. It's a plus run tool. So, when you're scouting him, you sit there and you start to check all the boxes. He checked them all.' Voit checked a few boxes on the mound with a 9-4 record in 29 games at Michigan. He threw in the low to mid-90s until hurting his elbow in the spring of 2024 and had internal brace surgery last July. He's strictly a second baseman as he will begin his Mets pro career at Class A Port Lucie of the Florida State League. Michigan Legacy The scouting report compared Voit to former Michigan two-way player Jake Cronenworth, now with the San Diego Padres. The sixth-year infielder was a seventh round choice by the Tampa Bay Rays in 2015. The two-time All-Star pitched briefly in the minors and two-thirds of an inning in a blowout game for San Diego in 2021. ANN ARBOR, MI: Barry Larkin of Michigan slides safely into first base against Ohio State. on April ... More 15, 1985. CREDIT: Tony Tomsic (Photo by Tony Tomsic /Sports Illustrated via Getty Images) (Set Number: X31375 ) Voit is the 175th Wolverines player drafted; 44 have played in the majors. The most notable is Hall of Fame shortstop Barry Larkin, picked No. 4 overall by the Cincinnati Reds in 1985. Three other Hall of Famers attended Michigan, including catcher Ted Simmons after he had been drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals. More than 100 years ago, second baseman Charlie Gehringer and first baseman George Sisler were students there before becoming pro players. DETROIT: Baseball Legend Jim Abbott bats during the Major League Baseball All-Star Legends & ... More Celebrity Softball Game at Comerica Park on July 10, 2005. (Photo by John Reid III /MLB via Getty Images) Other notable first-round picks from the school were lefty Jim Abbott, No. 8 by the Los Angeles Angels in 1988, right-hander Steve Howe, the 1980 NL Rookie of the Year by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1978 and former Michigan star quarterback Rick Leach as an outfielder by the Detroit Tigers in 1979. Voit's signing bonus beats the previous best given a Michigan player, $1.425 million to catcher Dave Parrish by the New York Yankees in 2000. Parrish hit only .241 with 35 homers in nine years in the minors. Making Draft History Voit's selection made Michigan the first college to have a first-round pick in the four major U.S. sports leagues in the same year: NFL: Mason Graham, pick No. 5, Cleveland Browns, defensive tackle. NHL: Will Horcoff, pick No. 24, Pittsburgh Penguins, forward. NBA: Danny Wolf, pick No. 27, Brooklyn Nets, forward. MLB: Mitch Voit, pick No. 38, New York Mets, second baseman/pitcher. NEW YORK: Dave Winfield of Minnesota grabs a rebound in NIT game against Alabama on March 22, 1973. ... More Teammate No. 52 Jim Brewer became a Cleveland Cavaliers draft pick. Baseball Hall of Famer Dave Winfield was picked five times in three sports, once out of high school the other times from the University of Minnesota: 1969 MLB: 40th round by Baltimore Orioles, pitcher. 1973 MLB: 1st round (No. 4) by San Diego Padres, outfielder. 1973 NBA: 5th round by Atlanta Hawks, forward. 1973 ABA: 6th round by Utah Stats, forward 1973 NFL: 17th round by Minnesota Vikings, tight end. Mets' First-Round History Since the MLB draft began in 1965, the New York Mets have made 75 first-round selections; 54 have played in the majors. They have had some great first-round picks: Daryl Strawberry, No. 1 overall in 1980; Dwight Gooden, fifth overall in 1982; Jon Matlack, fourth overall, 1967; David Wright, 38th overall, 2001. Wright, at the same draft slot as Voit, hit .296 with 242 homers as a seven-time all-star over 14 seasons. Unfortunately, the franchise will always be remembered for their unwise No. 1 overall pick in 1966, Steve Chilcott. As I wrote after the 2024 Draft: The Mets' pick is the greatest 'what could have been' scenario in draft history. That's because the No. 2 selection overall by the Kansas City Athletics that year became one of the most legendary players ever – Hall of Fame slugger Reggie Jackson. Chilcott, picked out of high school, was tried at catcher, first base and outfield, played 337 games in the minors and put up such batting averages as .155 at Auburn, .189 at Visalia, .209 at Memphis and .146 at Fort Lauderdale. He retired at age 23. The New York Mets should get more out of Mitch Voit, selected much lower and with very little fanfare.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Mets sign 2-way star to $1.75 million value contract after MLB Draft
The New York Mets used their first pick in the MLB Draft to select a two-way star. And on Thursday, they signed him to a value deal. The slot value for the No. 38 pick was $2.569 million. The Mets signed Mitch Voit for $1.75 million. The Michigan second baseman and pitcher has parallels to Padres standout Jake Cronenworth, writes Jim Callis. "One of best hitters in college class, 15-20 HR potential, low-90s on the mound," Callis adds. MORE: Joe DiMaggio's hitting streak was almost much longer than 56 games Of course, many top athletes play both ways in college, but very few pursue it professionally. But the Mets specifically announced Voit as a two-way player with his selection. He was one of only three guys in the entire 20-round draft that was designated by his drafting team as a two-way player. That at least implies a bit that the Mets aren't going to limit Voit in the early going. To actually make the majors as a two-way guy would be a surprise, but this gives Voit a double chance of being successful. If one set of skills doesn't translate, maybe the other does. It's certainly a great chance to take for the Mets. MORE MLB NEWS: Trevor Bauer has the worst ERA in Japan's NPB Eugenio Suarez breaks silence on Yankees trade rumors Deion Sanders, Bo Jackson once had the most legendary clash at Yankee Stadium Cal Raleigh, aka Big Dumper, signs the perfect endorsement deal Byron Buxton makes a bold proclamation on his future with the Twins Is Paul Skenes cursed?
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Mets draft pick Mitch Voit shares career goals in SNY interview
On The Mets Pod presented by Tri-State Cadillac, Joe DeMayo talks with Mitch Voit, the Michigan infielder the Mets selected with the 38th pick in the 2025 MLB Draft. Voit delivers a self-scouting report, and shares his confidence in his career path ahead. Check out the full interview on this week's episode of The Mets Pod, posting Thursday 7/17.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Mets' top draft pick once mimicked snorting cocaine on field. 'This isn't an issue,' team says
Former Michigan player Mitch Voit was selected by the New York Mets in the first round of the MLB draft on Sunday. (John McCoy / Associated Press) Mitch Voit had plenty to celebrate on Sunday after being selected by the New York Mets in the first round of the 2025 MLB draft. Chances are, that celebration did not resemble the now-infamous one the former Michigan infielder performed during a game against USC on March 16 in Ann Arbor. Advertisement With two outs in the bottom of the second inning, Voit ripped a hit into center field for a three-run triple that gave the Wolverines a 5-0 lead. While still on the ground after diving into third base, Voit decided to celebrate the feat in a rather curious manner. He lowered his nose to the baseline chalk and appeared to mimic snorting cocaine. Video of the bizarre celebration went viral, and Voit issued an apology in a statement posted on social media the next day. Read more: Jacob Misiorowski is the talk of the All-Star Game. Why Dodgers are partially to thank 'I would like to apologize for my actions on third base yesterday,' Voit wrote. 'I made an immature decision in the heat of the moment. The gesture I made does not reflect my character, the household I was raised in, or the block M that I represent in any kind of way. I take full responsibility for what I did, and I am truly sorry to all those who I have negatively impacted by doing this.' Advertisement Voit was not punished by the Wolverines. 'Mitch is a great young man and immediately apologized for his actions in the heat of the moment," Michigan Athletics spokesperson David Ablauf told The Athletic in a March 18 email. "As an athletic department, we did not feel that it was necessary to issue any discipline.' Speaking to reporters on Monday, Mets vice president of amateur scouting Kris Gross said the organization did their due diligence on the matter leading up to the draft. Read more: Shohei Ohtani has top-selling MLB jersey so far this season. Two other Dodgers rank in top four 'We spoke to him earlier in the spring and at the combine about it," Gross said. "And basically, you know, he's a young guy, it's a heat of passion, it's a big game. He made a big play for his team and made a mistake. And he's made an apology for it and owned up to it, handled it with class. Advertisement "We did a ton of research after the fact with multiple sources about his makeup. We know this isn't an issue and we feel comfortable with Mitch moving forward.' Voit was a two-way player during his first two seasons at Michigan, before undergoing internal brace surgery on his right elbow in spring 2024. As the Wolverines' starting second baseman in all 56 games this season, Voit hit .346 with 14 home runs and 60 RBI, with more walks (40) than strikeouts (34). 'He made a lot of strides, this being his first year to focus on hitting,' Gross told reporters Sunday. 'When you're scouting him, you sit there and you start to check all the boxes. He checked them all.' Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Daily Mail
14-07-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Michigan baseball player who did viral 'cocaine' celebration gets drafted by New York Mets
The New York Mets, it seems, have a type. A team once synonymous with baseball's drug problems of the 1980s, the Mets have now drafted a University of Michigan star who went viral for a cocaine-inspired celebration on the base paths. Wolverines second baseman Mitch Voit was the 38th pick of this year's MLB Draft on Sunday night after hitting .346 during an impressive junior season in Ann Arbor. But aside from his hitting prowess and his ability to moonlight on the mound, Voit's final season with Michigan might be best remembered for his decision to snort the third-base line in Ann Arbor after hitting an RBI-triple in a win over USC. Initially it looked like he may have hurt his face by sliding face-first into the bag, but Voit quickly popped up to his knees and pretended to fix a straw to his nose while moving his head along the third-base line. Upon finishing, Voit rapidly lifted his head and gave a possessed gaze towards the crowd. The Wisconsin native later admitted his misstep in a statement: 'I would like to apologize for my actions on third base yesterday. I made an immature decision in the heat of the moment. 'The gesture I made does not reflect my character, the household I was raised in, or the block M that I represent in any kind of way. 'I take full responsibility for what I did, and I am truly sorry to all those who I have negatively impacted by doing this.' Despite his misguided celebration, Voit was still named Big Ten Player of the Week shortly thereafter. Mets fans were equally happy to overlook the incident, given the team's reputation for cocaine use decades earlier. 'An 86 Mets aficionado I see, the kid has a bright future already,' one fan wrote on X. Others were more concerned: 'Bad choice Mets, this kid has major character issues.' Voit is not the first to do the 'snorting cocaine' celebration. Liverpool soccer player Robbie Fowler got a four-game suspension and a fine in 1999 when he appeared to use that pantomime following a goal. Voit, 20, described himself as a 'winner' in an interview with SNY, and the team appears to view him the same way. 'We're thrilled Mitch was still on the board there,' Mets vice president of amateur scouting Kris Gross said. 'Explosive. Athletic. We believe he stays on the dirt there and excels at multiple infield positions. But the bat really stood out. 'He made a lot of strides, this being his first year to focus on hitting,' Gross continued. 'The plate discipline improved. The contact and the ability to impact – it's a short, compact, explosive swing. 'He can impact the ball. We really think he can affect the game in numerous ways. It's a plus run tool. So when you're scouting him, you sit there and you start to check all the boxes. He checked them all.' Voit's pantomimed drug use is dwarfed by the team's infamous indulgences of the 1980s. After winning the 1986 World Series, Mets ace Doc Gooden would test positive for cocaine the following spring and other Mets teammates such as Darryl Strawberry and Keith Hernandez have also faced their own drug issues. These days Strawberry and Gooden are both said to be sober, while Hernandez has spoken openly about his past troubles with drugs.
