The Mets entered the 2010 draft with its first top 10 pick since 2005, and like they did back then, took a big, strong right-handed pitcher. Like Mike Pelfrey, Matt Harvey projects to be a durable, hard-throwing right-hander, and, like Pelfrey, the Mets had to go over slot to sign the North Carolina product – something the organization is famously averse to doing.

Other than Harvey, though, the Mets, in large part, stuck to their usual draft strategy. They drafted mostly college players at the top of the draft, many of whom are playing for their first-place New York-Penn League affiliate, the Brooklyn Cyclones. One of those players is fourth round pick Cory Vaughn, who played in last night’s NY-Penn League All-Star Game and is leading the league in home runs and RBI.

The Mets also largely avoided going over slot to sign players. They are only known to have done so in three instances – Harvey, sixth-round pick Greg Peavey (by $50,000), a right-hander from Oregon State, and 24th round pick Erik Goeddel.

Here is a breakdown of the Mets draft:

Total signed picks: 33 of 49

Top 10 picks signed: 9 of 9

Top 20 picks signed: 19 of 19

Top 30 picks signed: 27 of 29

Top three unsigned picks: 2B Dabias Johnson (21st round), OF Drew Martinez (23rd round), RHP Josh Easley (35th round).

Three largest known bonuses: RHP Matt Harvey (1st round, $2.52 million), C Blake Forsythe (3rd, $392,400), OF Cory Vaughn (4th, $240,300).

tbontemps@nypost.com