John Bay, an undrafted college standout, signed as a nondrafted free agent with the New York Mets after the 2025 Draft and quickly advanced through their minor league system. The outfielder helped High-A Brooklyn win a league title before earning a spot in the Arizona Fall League. Bay expressed gratitude for the opportunity to continue his professional baseball journey.
In mid-July 2025, John Bay was working out after finishing school and going undrafted for the second straight year, unsure of his next step in baseball. Despite strong performances at Austin Peay University—including 24 homers and a 1.288 OPS in 2024, followed by .360/.507/.769 with 22 homers in 2025—he received no draft calls. A hamate injury had sidelined him in 2023, and earlier limited playing time at Oklahoma State added to the challenges.
Bay's former coach Roland Fanning advocated fiercely for him, contacting teams after the 2025 Draft. Mets area scout Kevin Whiteside, impressed by Bay's exploits, arranged a three-way call with Fanning and Bay during a workout. "'Kevin, what up?' 'Hey John, what's going on?' 'You know we have this opportunity if you would like it.' 'Absolutely, where do I need to go? Sign me up,'" Bay recalled.
Whiteside noted Bay's emotion on the call, saying, "He just wanted the opportunity." Bay hit well at Single-A St. Lucie with a 1.056 OPS over 17 games, earning a promotion to High-A Brooklyn. There, he struggled somewhat, going 3-for-29 in the regular season's end but 4-for-15 in the playoffs as the Cyclones captured the South Atlantic League title. "That was awesome," Bay said. "It was a great time with those guys and glad to go out on top with them."
When an opening arose on the Scottsdale Scorpions roster in the Arizona Fall League, Bay responded eagerly: "Absolutely, sign me up, where do I need to go?" He played his first AFL game on Tuesday in Scottsdale, Ariz., aiming to learn and gain experience. "I just want to soak it up, get some good experience out here," Bay said. "I can't thank Kevin and the Mets organization enough for giving me the opportunity."