Mets’ Nick Morabito chooses jersey number that disappoints old-school fans

As the New York Mets continued to try and turn their season around, the franchise has called up top prospect Nick Morabito. While Mets fans are rooting for his success, some are upset at Morabito’s jersey decision.

The outfielder will be wearing No. 8 with New York, via Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. That number famously belonged to franchise legend Gary Carter. The last time a Met wore No. 8 came back in 2001.

While Carter won a World Series with the Mets, his number was never officially retired. Unofficially it hadn’t been used, but there wasn’t a strict mandate against it. Now, Morabito will be the first one with No. 8 on the back of his jersey in over two decades.

If fans were truly upset at the top prospect, Morabito has an easy way to shut them up. A quick, successful transition to the MLB level will shift the focus from his jersey number to his play. Sitting at 21-26, New York knows they’re in need of a spark.

Ranked as the No. 11 prospect in the organization, via MLB Pipeline, the Mets believe Morabito is ready for the major league level. Over his 41 games at Triple-A in 2026, the outfielder has hit .253 with four home runs, 17 RBIs and 14 stolen bases. His entire 341-game run at the minor league level has resulted in a .287 batting average with 16 home runs, 135 RBIs and 144 stolen bases.

In his major league debut, Morabito will be playing left field and batting seventh on Tuesday against the Washington Nationals. While some may not like the jersey number, the Mets are more concerned about extending their winning streak to four.

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