Mets' Top Prospect Benge Impresses in Spring Training, Roster Spot Still Uncertain

Mets' president of baseball operations David Stearns says no decision yet on whether Benge will make Opening Day roster

Published on Mar. 10, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Carson Benge, the Mets' top position player prospect, has been excelling in his first major league spring training camp, but Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns says the team has not yet decided if Benge will make the Opening Day roster. Benge has an .846 OPS in Grapefruit League play so far, and Stearns praised his competitive at-bats and solid play in right field, but noted the Mets have a number of players competing for the right field job.

Why it matters

Benge is considered one of the Mets' top prospects, so his performance in spring training is being closely watched as the team decides on its Opening Day roster. The Mets have several options for right field, so Benge will need to continue to impress in order to secure a spot on the big-league club to start the season.

The details

Benge, 23, entered spring training with an .846 OPS in Grapefruit League play, and he bolstered his case with an RBI triple in his first plate appearance against the Marlins on Monday. Stearns praised Benge's competitive at-bats and solid play in right field, but noted the Mets have other players like Mike Tauchman and MJ Melendez also competing for the right field job. Stearns said the team has not yet made a decision on whether Benge will make the Opening Day roster.

  • Benge entered spring training with an .846 OPS in Grapefruit League play.

The players

Carson Benge

The Mets' top position player prospect who is excelling in his first major league spring training camp.

David Stearns

The Mets' president of baseball operations, who says the team has not yet decided if Benge will make the Opening Day roster.

Mike Tauchman

One of the other players competing for the Mets' right field job.

MJ Melendez

One of the other players competing for the Mets' right field job.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Carson is having a nice camp. Similar to all our guys he's worked really hard — I think we have had a real work-intensive camp across the field and Carson has participated in that. In the games we've seen what we would have expected. He's taken very competitive at-bats. He's a tough out. I think he's played a nice right field … he's a really good player and we'll have a difficult decision as we get toward the end of camp.”

— David Stearns, President of Baseball Operations (nypost.com)

What’s next

The Mets will continue to evaluate Benge and the other right field candidates as they get closer to finalizing their Opening Day roster.

The takeaway

Benge's strong spring training performance has put him in the mix for a spot on the Mets' Opening Day roster, but the team still has a difficult decision to make as they have several options for the right field job. Benge's ability to continue impressing in the final weeks of camp will be crucial in determining if he breaks camp with the big-league club.