Celebration Controversy Surrounds Mets’ 38th Draft Pick
Chris Gross, the vice president of Mets amateur scouting, didn’t exactly envision a controversial celebration from Mitch Voight, who, during a Michigan game in March, made headlines with an interesting display of enthusiasm after hitting a triple.
After his drafting at Citifield, Voight reiterated his sentiments about the incident. “We had a chat about it,” he shared from the dugout just before the Mets kicked off their series against the Reds. “But, I mean, I think everyone saw my post online. It pretty much sums it up. It was just one of those moments. It doesn’t define who I am.”
In that earlier social media post, Voight expressed remorse for what he labeled a “pretty immature gesture in the heat of the moment.” This followed an impressive base-clearing triple against USC, after which he pretended to snort a line of cocaine along the baseline.
“He performed really well for the team and he made mistakes,” Gross stated on the second day of the MLB draft. “He owned up to it, apologized, and handled it maturely. We looked into his character through various sources; we’re confident this isn’t an ongoing issue.”
Voight, expected to shine as a two-way player in 2023 and 2024, was seen preparing in Port St. Lucie after batting practice with the Mets on Friday. He had previously excelled at the University of Michigan, especially as a junior, even after undergoing elbow surgery.
As he took his place in the batting cage at Citifield, Voight recalled his pre-game routines from his time with the Wolverines. The memories flooded back.
His final college season was impressive, featuring a .346 batting average, along with 14 home runs, 72 hits, and 60 RBIs over 56 games. However, he remains uncertain about his immediate future, admitting he hasn’t decided whether he’ll play this summer, though he has been honing his skills as a position player. He also mentioned that his pitching experience is “always in my back pocket” if needed.
“If it comes down to it, and my only shot is to pitch for the Mets, absolutely,” he remarked, noting his excitement over his first big purchase, which was a pair of Chanel wallets, made on draft night. “But, our future plans? We’re focused on being position players,” he concluded.
