Mets' top draft pick once mimicked snorting cocaine on field. 'This isn't an issue,' team says
Mitch Voit had plenty to celebrate on Sunday after being selected by the New York Mets in the first round of the 2025 MLB draft.
Chances are, that celebration did not resemble the now-infamous one the former Michigan infielder performed during a game against USC on March 16 in Ann Arbor.
Advertisement
With two outs in the bottom of the second inning, Voit ripped a hit into center field for a three-run triple that gave the Wolverines a 5-0 lead. While still on the ground after diving into third base, Voit decided to celebrate the feat in a rather curious manner.
He lowered his nose to the baseline chalk and appeared to mimic snorting cocaine.
Video of the bizarre celebration went viral, and Voit issued an apology in a statement posted on social media the next day.
Read more: Jacob Misiorowski is the talk of the All-Star Game. Why Dodgers are partially to thank
'I would like to apologize for my actions on third base yesterday,' Voit wrote. 'I made an immature decision in the heat of the moment. The gesture I made does not reflect my character, the household I was raised in, or the block M that I represent in any kind of way. I take full responsibility for what I did, and I am truly sorry to all those who I have negatively impacted by doing this.'
Advertisement
Voit was not punished by the Wolverines.
'Mitch is a great young man and immediately apologized for his actions in the heat of the moment," Michigan Athletics spokesperson David Ablauf told The Athletic in a March 18 email. "As an athletic department, we did not feel that it was necessary to issue any discipline.'
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Mets vice president of amateur scouting Kris Gross said the organization did their due diligence on the matter leading up to the draft.
Read more: Shohei Ohtani has top-selling MLB jersey so far this season. Two other Dodgers rank in top four
'We spoke to him earlier in the spring and at the combine about it," Gross said. "And basically, you know, he's a young guy, it's a heat of passion, it's a big game. He made a big play for his team and made a mistake. And he's made an apology for it and owned up to it, handled it with class.
Advertisement
"We did a ton of research after the fact with multiple sources about his makeup. We know this isn't an issue and we feel comfortable with Mitch moving forward.'
Voit was a two-way player during his first two seasons at Michigan, before undergoing internal brace surgery on his right elbow in spring 2024. As the Wolverines' starting second baseman in all 56 games this season, Voit hit .346 with 14 home runs and 60 RBI, with more walks (40) than strikeouts (34).
'He made a lot of strides, this being his first year to focus on hitting,' Gross told reporters Sunday.
'When you're scouting him, you sit there and you start to check all the boxes. He checked them all.'
Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
UPI
20 minutes ago
- UPI
Indiana Fever's Caitlin Clark injures groin in win vs. Connecticut Sun
All-Star guard Caitlin Clark made 4 of 14 shots and totaled 14 points in a win over the Connecticut Sun on Tuesday in Boston. File Photo by Corey Sipkin/UPI | License Photo July 16 (UPI) -- Caitlin Clark clutched the right side of her groin late during an Indiana Fever win over the Connecticut Sun and will now have the injury evaluated before returning to the court, coach Stephanie White told reporters. Clark sustained the injury with less than a minute remaining in the 87-77 triumph Tuesday at TD Garden in Boston. The All-Star guard totaled 14 points, eight rebounds and even assists. "She just felt a little something in her groin so we'll get it evaluated and see what happens from there," White said at her postgame news conference. The Fever led 82-75 during Clark's injury sequence. She dribbled near half court at the start of the play, while defended by guard Lei'la Lacan. Clark dribbled to her right, went back to her left and darted toward the 3-point line before a quick stop. She then threw a bounce pass to Mitchell, who scored with a layup off the glass with 39 seconds remaining. Clark immediately held onto her groin as she walked back over half court. She then rested her head on the opposing basket and appeared to have tears in her eyes as she walked to the Fever bench. She did not return. Caitlin Clark appeared to be in pain after this play late in the fourth quarter. Clark returned to play last week after missing 5 games with a groin injury. espnW (@espnW) July 16, 2025 Clark, who never missed a game in college or the first year of her WNBA career, sat out 10 games so far this season due to a quad ailment and an injury to her groin on her left side. She returned from the latter injury July 9. The Fever will take on the New York Liberty in back-to-back matchups Wednesday and Tuesday in Brooklyn. The first matchup will tip off at 7:30 p.m. EDT at Barclays Center. "I think we just take it one step at a time," White said. "We'll get some food and get on the plane and start talking about New York. She [Clark] is being evaluated. We'll see where we are with that. Certainly, we will have another evaluation and conversation in the morning and see where we are. "This group has played without her. At least we've got experience in that." Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell totaled 20 points in Tuesday's win. Forward Natasha Howard chipped in 18 points and 13 rebounds. Sun center Tina Charles recorded a game-high 21 points and collected 11 rebounds. The Fever outshot the Sun 49.2% to 36.1% in the victory. Clark made just 4 of 14 shots, including a 1 of 7 clip from 3-point range. The second-year guard shot 44.7% from the floor and was a 40% shooter from 3-point range through her first six games this season, but made just 29.4% of her field goal attempts and 14.3% (7 of 49) of her 3-pointers over her last seven appearances. Clark's 16.5 points per game are tied for the 16th-most in the WNBA. She ranks second in the league with 8.8 assists per game. The Fever (12-10) lost to the Golden State Valkyries in Clark's return, but are on a three-game winning streak since then. They sit in sixth place in the WNBA standings. The Liberty (14-6) are third in the standings, trailing only the first-place Minnesota Lynx (19-4) and Phoenix Mercury (15-6).
New York Post
21 minutes ago
- New York Post
Caitlin Clark has to be held back in heated moment with ref: ‘Grow up'
Caitlin Clark shook her head with her hands on her hips, disgusted by what had just transpired. A quick exchange with referee Michael Price during the Fever's 85-77 win over the Sun on Tuesday night left the Fever's star outraged and wanting to give him even more of her mind. 'That's just rude. Grow up,' Clark said before summoning Price with a finger point during the third quarter. 'Come here. Unbelievable.' While the main storyline out of Tuesday's game would eventually be the re-injured groin that raises questions about Clark's availability for Wednesday's anticipated matchup against the Liberty and following the upcoming WNBA All-Star break, her hot-mic spat with the referee went viral. Clark is not one to shy away from telling referees her two cents, which has led to technical fouls during her career, and it certainly seemed she gave Price plenty more change. 7 Clark being restrained. @espn/X With the Fever leading, 54-49, with 4:33 left in the third quarter at TD Garden in Boston, the Sun invoked a coach's challenge on a ball that went out of bounds. While the players left the court, Clark gave an earful to Price. Clark and Price exchanged words, with the guard appearing confused for a second, before she exploded when he walked away from her. A Fever staffer held back Clark while she screamed at the referee. One of the ESPN broadcasters said Clark had been saying, 'Are you kidding me?' 7 Caitlin Clark stares at the referee. @espn/X Hot mics then captured Clark's anger, before she walked toward the referee. Clark motioned as if she had a telephone in her right hand, putting it to ear while saying something that included the words 'call.' The pair then huddled, with Clark getting in her point across before Price responded. He eventually walked away, with Clark pointing toward him before heading toward the Indiana bench. 7 Clark yells at the referee as he walks away. @espn/X 7 Clark is incensed. @espn/X Clark somehow did not earn a technical foul, and she helped the Fever win despite an off night. She tallied 14 points on 4-of-14 shooting, including 1-for-7 from deep. Her night took a turn for the worse when she exited in the final minute due to the groin injury. 7 Caitlin Clark beckoning the referee to come to her. @espn/X 7 Clark and Price chat. @espn/X Fever coach Stephanie White said Clark will be evaluated, but it could per her status in doubt for this weekend's 3-point shooting challenge. Clark has already missed 10 games this year — a pair of five-game stretches — due to a quad and groin injury after never missing a game during her college and high school career. 7 Caitlin Clark speaks to a different referee during Tuesday's game. Getty Images White noted during her postgame presser that Clark faces physicality that others rarely encounter. 'I knew it as an opponent, and I see it as her coach,' White said after her team improved to 12-10. 'I'm not exactly sure why, but it just is what it is. We've got to help her learn to adjust and use it against them in certain ways. We've got to find some ways to make it a little bit easier for her, but the level of physicality overall in our league has been at a different level than it's been for a long time.'
USA Today
21 minutes ago
- USA Today
WATCH: Every swing of the epic All-Star Game home run tiebreaker
Baseball fans in Atlanta watched history unfold before their eyes at the 2025 All-Star Game in the first-ever Home Run Derby swing-off after the American and National League teams were deadlocked 6-6 at the end of regulation. The format, adopted in 2022, replaced the traditional extra innings that would normally follow when a game is tied after nine. Under the new rules, each manager selects three players to compete in the tiebreaker, with each player allowed just three swings. The team with the most total home runs is declared the winner. The finish provided some unexpected drama and a thrilling conclusion to the Midsummer Classic. Spoiler alert: The National League didn't even need to use two-time Home Run Derby champion Pete Alonso, as eventual All-Star MVP Kyle Schwarber blasted homers on all three of his allotted swings to propel his team to victory.
