Former Mets Star Colon Drafted for new Baseball United

Bartolo Colón, now 50, was one of four former New York Mets who were selected to part of the first Baseball United draft.

The New York Mets had two former stars selected in the first the first Baseball United Draft on Monday.

The Draft was meant to fill out the four teams that will compete in the new league in Dubai. Those teams are called the Cobras, the Monarchs, the Wolves and the Falcons.

Four different former Mets were selected but the two that got the most attention were pitcher Bartolo Colón and infielder Robinson Canó.

Colón played for 21 seasons and played for several teams. But, when he finally opted to retire this season, he had his retirement ceremony at Citi Field, where he became a folk hero Mets fans and became known as “Big Sexy.”

He had three solid seasons with the Mets from 2014-16, winning at least 14 games each season, even as he had passed the age of 40. He was 44-34 with the Mets, finishing with a 3.90 ERA. For his career, he ended up with 247 victories. His MLB career ended with the Texas Rangers in 2018.

At age 50, it looks like he will pitch again in Baseball United.

Canó joined the Mets later in his career, playing with them from 2019-20 and 2022, as he sat out in 2021 due to a Major League suspension. With the Mets, he batted .269 with 24 home runs and 72 RBI.

For his 17-year career — which include time with the New York Yankees, Seattle Mariners, San Diego Padres and Atlanta Braves, he batted .301 with 335 home runs and 1,306 RBI.

The other two Mets selected were pitcher Akeem Bostick, who pitched one game with the Mets in 2021, and Akeel Morris, who pitched one game for the Mets in 2015.

Baseball United is the first professional baseball league based in the Middle East and the Indian Subcontinent. The league will host a showcase event in Dubai on Nov. 24-25 with two Baseball United All-Star teams playing a two-game series.

Baseball United has some Major League heft behind it. Former New York Yankees closer Mariano Rivera, former Cincinnati Reds infielder Barry Larkin and former Texas Rangers third baseman Adrián Beltré are each co-owner and board members. Former Seattle pitcher Félix Hernández is also a board member.