Mets Make It Official: Wright Is Their Captain David Wright has long been seen as the de facto leader of the Mets. He began his professional career as a member the organization, rose to stardom playing third base for the club and is the longest-tenured player on the current roster. The Mets made things official Thursday, naming Wright the fourth captain of the franchise. Wright, 30, becomes the first Mets player to take the role since John Franco, who held it from 2001 to 2004. Keith Hernandez and Gary Carter were captains of the team during the late 1980s. Wright will be one of just three current major league team captains, joining Derek Jeter of the Yankees and Paul Konerko of the Chicago White Sox. The other current major league captains are Derek Jeter of the Yankees and Paul Konerko of the Chicago White Sox. "To be on that short list of guys that have been considered captain of this franchise is, for me, a dream come true, to say the least, and something that I'm very, very, very proud about," Wright said. The appointment seemed an obvious one after Wright signed an eight-year contract extension worth $138 million this winter. Even so, the team moved deliberately before making an announcement, gathering opinions from coaches, front-office personnel and current players. "When you commit that kind of money and resources that we have to a guy like this, you want to make sure he's the leader, and he's proven to be that," said Jeff Wilpon, the team's chief operating officer. Wright over the years has shown an understated leadership style - he will not wear a C on his uniform - while becoming of the team's most accomplished players. Already, he sits atop several of the Mets" franchise lists for cumulative offensive statistics. "David Wright personifies what we want a player to be here," Manager Terry Collins said. General Manager Sandy Alderson, a former Marine, described leadership as a blend of expertise and character. Alderson said he was struck by one moment last year: Team officials held a late-night meeting at Citi Field to discuss whether Ike Davis would be sent to the minors, and Wright stayed behind to see if he might be needed to help Davis process disappointing news. "If you don't have the professional accomplishments, you don't have the credibility, and if you don't have the personal qualities, you don't have the respect that leadership requires," Alderson said. There's no question that David has brought both of those things to the table.