Mets Grab Ambidextrous Player Carlos Cortes in Third Round of Draft

By Jerry Del Priore

The New York Mets got something of a rarity when they drafted Carlos Cortes in the third round (83rd overall) of the MLB June amateur draft out of South Carolina University on Tuesday.

You see, Carlos Cortes, 20, was born a natural lefty, but his father wanted to provide him with more versatility on the diamond. The older Cortes figure it would be harder for his son to play the infield, especially the shortstop position, as a left-hander. So, they began the process of working on throwing with both arms at the age of eight.

Playing mostly left field as a Gamecock, Cortes will most likely man the second base position in the pros, according to Mets.com.

However, the 5-foot-7-inch, 197-pound stocky-built player has covered the catcher, pitcher, third, second and all three outfield positions in his career. The interesting thing is Cortes uses different hands to toss the rawhide depending upon where he’s positioned on the field. He throws with his left hand while playing in the outfield, and his right while roaming the infield.

The third-round draft pick is valued at a robust $705,300 dollars, so the chance of Cortes inking with New York seems likely. But we’ll have to wait and see.