Roger Clemens was originally drafted by which team though he never signed with them?

Roger Clemens was originally drafted by the New York Mets, but he never signed with them.

The Mets selected Clemens in the 12th round of the 1981 Major League Baseball draft, with the 289th overall pick. He chose not to sign and continued his college career instead, a decision that ultimately redirected one of baseball’s most successful pitching careers. Clemens later attended the University of Texas at Austin, where his performance made him a much more prominent professional prospect.

In the 1983 MLB draft, the Boston Red Sox selected him in the first round, 19th overall. This time he signed, entered the Red Sox organization, and reached the major leagues in 1984. He won the American League Rookie of the Year Award that season and soon became one of the era’s dominant pitchers.

The Mets connection is therefore a “what if” moment in baseball history: New York drafted Clemens before his national reputation fully developed, but passing on that contract allowed Boston to acquire him. Clemens later won seven Cy Young Awards and was nicknamed “Rocket.”