When the Mets drafted Mark Vientos in the second round of the 2017 MLB Draft, the case could be made that they were getting a steal. With prospect fatigue setting in after years of being scouted on the showcase circuit, a quad injury that limited limiting his playing time during his senior year at American Heritage High School, and a commitment to the University of Miami that was considered fairly strong, teams passed over the borderline first-round talent, allowing the Mets to select him with the 59th overall pick. He signed with the Mets fairly quickly, receiving a $1,500,000 signing bonus— roughly $400,000 above the MLB-assigned slot value of $1,094,700—and split the rest of the summer with the GCL and Kingsport Mets, with whom the 17-year-old hit a combined .
Mark Vientos is closer to the show than you think
