After an impressive spring training, New York Mets rookie outfielder Carson Benge won an Opening Day roster spot and figures to see ample playing time in right field. Manager Carlos Mendoza announced that Benge had made the team on Monday.
Benge, the Mets’ top position player prospect, is set to make his major-league debut on Thursday as the Opening Day right fielder. He has played just 24 games at Triple-A Syracuse, where Benge posted a .583 OPS with three home runs in 103 plate appearances.
Benge joins an outfield that includes Juan Soto in left field and Luis Robert Jr. in center field. Along with Benge, the Mets’ other options for playing time in right field are Brett Baty and Tyrone Taylor.
At the beginning of what ended up as a transformative offseason in Queens, Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said on Nov. 11 that Benge held a legitimate shot to break camp with the club. From there, the Mets traded outfielder Brandon Nimmo, telling the veteran that they planned to make room for their younger players. Soto moved from right field to left field. After the Mets failed to reel in Kyle Tucker in free agency, they entered spring training with an opening in right field.
Benge, 23, did his part to fill that vacancy. In 46 plate appearances during Grapefruit League play, Benge slashed .366/.435/.439. While his power did not show up, Mets officials liked how Benge, a left-handed batter, manipulated the barrel, constantly put balls in play and hung tough against lefty pitchers. Defensively, manager Carlos Mendoza said that Benge got good jumps. Benge, who was a two-way player at Oklahoma State, is known for a strong arm.
This is the first time a Mets rookie won a true position player battle since Pete Alonso in 2019. There is always pressure on young players to perform quickly in the league’s largest media market. Benge, however, is set to bat toward the bottom of the Mets’ lineup. It is also a team that underwent a major overhaul, meaning there are other storylines to monitor. Chief among them, after a disappointing 2025, the Mets need to at least make the playoffs.
In a top-100 rundown, The Athletic’s Keith Law ranked Benge as the sport’s No. 18 prospect. In 519 plate appearances last year spread out over stints in High A, Double A and Triple A, Benge produced a .857 OPS with 15 home runs and 22 stolen bases. However, Benge, whom the Mets chose at No. 19 in the 2024 amateur draft out of Oklahoma State, struggled upon reaching Triple A.
In the Mets’ final weekend of Grapefruit League play, outfielder Mike Tauchman tore his left meniscus, requiring surgery. Tauchman’s injury further opened the door for Benge. By then, however, Benge had already made a compelling case to make the team and there was a distinct possibility of the Mets carrying both Tauchman (on a minor-league deal) and Benge.
