New York Mets Captains Year Over Year

The New York Mets are a professional baseball franchise in Queens, New York City. Established in 1962, the Mets compete in the National League (NL) East division of Major League Baseball (MLB). Their formation was part of MLB's expansion to fill the void left by the Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giants, who relocated to California in 1958. The Mets are one of two major league teams based in New York City, alongside the American League's New York Yankees.

Citi Field serves as their home stadium, having opened its doors in 2009 to replace Shea Stadium, the team's venue from 1964 until 2008. In their initial years, they faced difficulties on the field, concluding their first season with a record of 40–120, the worst ever at that time in MLB history. Nevertheless, under manager Gil Hodges’ leadership in 1969, known as the "Miracle Mets," they made a comeback by winning their inaugural World Series against the Baltimore Orioles in five games. Throughout their history, the Mets have reached postseason play ten times and claimed two World Series championships (in 1969 and 1986), along with five National League pennants (the latest being in 2000 and 2015) and six NL East division titles.

New York Mets Captains History

The New York Mets have had four captains throughout their history. The franchise introduced their first captain of the team in 1987 along with a co-captain. As of 2024, the New York Mets do not have any current captain.

Keith Hernandez (1987–1989)

Keith Hernandez served as the first captain of the New York Mets from 1987 to 1989. He won the World Series championship with the New York Mets in 1982 and 1986. Known for his exceptional defense at first base, Hernandez was a key figure in the Mets’ 1986 World Series championship run. He is a five-time All-Star and 11-time Gold Glove Award winner and has also won the Silver Slugger Award two times during his career. His tenure as captain solidified his reputation as one of the best defensive first basemen in MLB history and New York Mets retired his jersey No. 17.

Keith shared the role of co-captain with Gary Carter in 1988 and 1989.

Gary Carter (1988–1989)

Gary Carter, a Hall of Fame catcher, served as co-captain of the New York Mets alongside Keith Hernandez from 1988 to 1989. Nicknamed "The Kid" for his youthful enthusiasm and energy, Carter was pivotal in the Mets' 1986 World Series victory. He was a clutch hitter and a leader behind the plate, earning 11 All-Star selections and three Gold Glove Awards during his career. Gary has also received the Silver Slugger Award five times and he was a Roberto Clemente Award winner in 1989. He has also played in Montreal Expos and his number eight with Montreal Expos is retired.

John Franco (2001–2004)

John Franco was named captain of the Mets in 2001 and held the title until 2004. Franco, a Brooklyn native, is the Mets’ all-time saves leader with 276 saves and is second on MLB’s all-time saves list among left-handed pitchers with a total of 424 saves throughout his career. Known for his reliability as a closer, Franco played 14 seasons with the Mets and was a four-time All-Star. His leadership was particularly valuable during a period of transition for the team in the early 2000s and was also inducted into the New York Mets Hall of Fame.

David Wright (2013–2018)

David Wright served as the Mets' captain from 2013 until his retirement in 2018, becoming the longest-tenured captain in team history. Wright was a seven-time All-Star and two-time Gold Glove Award winner in 2007 and 2008, along with a Silver Slugger Award in the same consecutive years. He spent his entire 14-year MLB career with the Mets and is the franchise’s all-time leader in hits, RBIs, and runs scored. He also played third base in the 2009 World Baseball Classic for the United States and also in the 2013 World Baseball Classic.

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