draft during the supplemental round as compensation for the Mets' loss of Mike Hampton to the Colorado Rockies in free agency. Wright was selected after future teammate Aaron Heilman who had been selected in the first round. According to then-Mets manager Bobby Valentine, Wright had caught the attention of coach Tom Robson who had actually been sent "down to Virginia to scout someone else." Wright progressed steadily in his first three years of minor league play, winning the Sterling award for best player on the class A St. Lucie Mets in 2003. In 2004, he quickly rose from the Double-A Binghamton Mets to the Triple-A Norfolk Tides to the major leagues. New York Mets 2004 On July 21, 2004, Wright made his major league debut starting at third base against the Montreal Expos. The next day, on July 22, Wright picked up his first career hit, a double, off of the Montreal Expos' pitcher Zach Day. Wright finished his rookie season with a .293 batting average, 14 home runs and 40 RBI in 263 at-bats in 69 games, and was voted as the This Year in Baseball Awards Rookie of the Year. 2005 In 2005, the 22-year-old Wright played in 160 games and batted .306 with 27 home runs, 102 RBIs, 99 runs scored, 42 doubles, and 17 stolen bases, leading the team in average, runs, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, RBI, doubles, and finishing second in home runs to Cliff Floyd (34). Wright was also in the top 10 in the National League for average, hits, total bases, RBI, extra-base hits, and runs. Wright's 24 errors tied him with Troy Glaus for the most errors by a third baseman in the major leagues. Wright made an over-the-shoulder barehanded catch during the seventh inning of a game at Petco Park against the San Diego Padres on August 9, 2005. With one out in the inning, Brian Giles hit a broken-bat blooper beyond the edge of the outfield grass. Wright, retreating quickly with his back to home plate, extended his bare right hand and caught the ball cleanly while crashing to the field. Wright maintained control of the ball after landing hard on the outfield grass. The sellout crowd at Petco Park acknowledged the splendor of the catch with a standing ovation lasting several minutes. This play was voted the "This Year in Baseball Play of the Year." 2006 In 2006, Wright