Sammy Stafura goes from diehard Mets fan to prospect in club's farm system

Sammy Stafura never let go of the Mets.

The 21-year-old shortstop from Cortlandt Manor, New York, grew up a diehard Mets fan and still watches every game — even when he was playing in the Pirates’ and Reds’ farm systems.

“Well, the way I see it, it kind of is like you play for all 30 teams in the minor leagues because you never know what's going to happen,” Stafura told Newsday in a phone interview Tuesday morning. “You're just always playing for all 30 teams. That's just how it works with trades and everything like that.

“Everyone kind of knows I'm a Mets fan, but I'm not going out there publicly just cheering for the Mets.”

sorry it took so long to answer you, @SamuelStafura pic.twitter.com/KPgFQ5pSih

— New York Mets (@Mets) August 3, 2026

Day 1 (bring back phiten necklaces)@SamuelStafura | #LGM pic.twitter.com/A4yNfUPcZk

— New York Mets (@Mets) August 4, 2026

Fair enough. But now he can.

The Mets brought home one of their own Monday afternoon, acquiring Stafura in the trade that sent Luke Weaver to Pittsburgh. Stafura, now the Mets’ No. 11 prospect, according to MLB Pipeline, reported to High-A Brooklyn on Tuesday. He said the hours after the trade were “super hectic” and featured lots of travel and packing, but being traded to the Mets is a “dream.”

“They're getting a guy who's going to run through the wall for that team,” Stafura said. “I'll die for that team. I'm going to bring the energy. Just a good all-around baseball player, do the little things right, and go out there and have fun. Compete and win ballgames.”

Stafura slashed .301/.365/.656 with 19 homers, 51 RBIs and 16 stolen bases in 47 games for High-A Greensboro this season.

The Reds drafted Stafura, who played at Cortlandt Manor’s Walter Panas High School and forwent his commitment to Clemson, in the second round (43rd overall) in 2023. That year, he helped lead Panas, coached by Anthony Fata, to their first sectional title and all the way to the state Class A championship game.

All eyes constantly were on Stafura, who was the New York Gatorade Player of the Year.

Forget the games, scouts came to Panas’ practices to watch him. Fata said Stafura embodied what “cool, calm and collected” is all about as he seamlessly handled the attention.

“They are getting a kid that will never stop,” Fata said. “He will never stop playing. He will never stop competing. The ceiling is so high for this kid. He eats, sleeps and drinks baseball. He will not stop until he gets to where he wants to go, and that's the type of kid he is, and that's why I loved coaching him.”

Stafura said Citi Field was about 40 minutes from his house, and he grew up going to a Mets game every month or two. He mentioned David Wright, Brandon Nimmo, Jose Reyes, Jacob deGrom, Zack Wheeler and Noah Syndergaard as his all-time favorite Mets.

He already knows “a bunch of guys in the organization,” including A.J. Ewing, a friend of his, and New Rochelle’s Gary Gill Hill, a righthanded pitching prospect acquired from Tampa Bay in Sunday’s Freddy Peralta trade.

In his post-deadline Zoom call with reporters Monday, Mets president baseball of operations David Stearns praised Stafura.

“The first thing that jumps off the page with you on Stafura is the defense,” he said. “He’s got tremendous defensive ability, he’s a very good baserunner. He can impact the game in a variety of ways, help you win ballgames in a variety of different ways and clearly has power as well.”

Yes, the power.

Stafura has a reputation as a smooth defensive shortstop — MLB Pipeline noted the “strong reviews for his outstanding range, actions and instincts at the premium position of shortstop,” and Fata said he made “the hardest plays look effortless” — but his recent offensive production has been undeniable.

In July, he batted .358/.379.926 with 14 homers, four doubles and 35 RBIs.

“This hitting tear, everyone underestimated my hitting a little bit, but it just took a little bit to come,” he said. “I know I got that power. I know I got that hit tool. But I just have to be patient and figure out what I have to do, and now I'm pretty confident. I'm ready to keep rolling.”

Monday didn’t mark the first time Stafura was traded, either. Last July, Cincinnati included Stafura in a package for then-Pirates third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes.

He feels like he learned from “mistakes” dealing with last year’s trade — when he “let everything just speed up on me” and “was caught up in the wrong things” — and is looking forward to a “fresh start” with the Mets.

Everyone else around him is looking forward to it, too.

“If I can be at Citi Field one day watching him play, it would be one of the proudest moments in my life because that kid — he earned it,” Fata said. “He worked for it, and they're getting a hell of a kid. They're getting a hell of a player.”