The New York Mets announced on Monday that top prospect Carson Benge has made their 2026 Opening Day roster and will start in right field for his MLB debut. The 23-year-old will face Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes in the season opener. Benge impressed in spring training after a rapid rise through the minors.
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza revealed the news before the team broke camp in Port St. Lucie, Florida. Benge, selected 19th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft out of Oklahoma State, advanced through three minor league levels last season. In 131 games, he batted .280/.389/.468 with 17 home runs and 25 stolen bases, though he hit .178 in 24 Triple-A games with Syracuse after a strong stint at Double-A Binghamton. In Grapefruit League play, Benge batted .366/.435/.439 with a double, a triple, and a stolen base over 46 plate appearances, rebounding from an 0-for-5 start to hit .417 thereafter. He outperformed Mike Tauchman in the right field competition, aided by Tauchman's late meniscus injury. The Mets shifted Juan Soto to left field to leverage Benge's strong throwing arm. Benge joins Soto and Luis Robert Jr. in the outfield, with the lineup projected as Francisco Lindor, Soto, Bo Bichette, Jorge Polanco, Robert, Brett Baty, Marcus Semien, Benge, and Francisco Alvarez. Mendoza praised the milestone: 'It's a big day for the organization -- a kid that gets drafted in 2024 and two years later, here we are, giving him the news that he's going to be playing in the big leagues for us. He earned it. He had a hell of a camp.' Benge, the Mets' No. 2 prospect and No. 16 overall, expressed joy: 'Joy over everything, just knowing that I worked hard for it.' Hitting coach Troy Snitker noted Benge's skills: 'He moves the bat really fast, but he’s a really good hitter, too.' Ranked seventh in NL Rookie of the Year odds at +1500, Benge is the highest-ranked Mets prospect to debut since Francisco Alvarez in 2022.
