It's a fun mob with fun mechanics that noone uses because making them into a pan flute is much more efficient. I've seen newbies that don't know better be met with hate from fellow players for cooking or eating them. I suggest there would be a 1 in 1000 chance to get a mandrake from a normal seed.
Although i guess it could get kind of annoying if the chance was too big. Being randomly put to sleep by other players and mobs that eat it too much wouldn't be that fun.