Carson Benge First Mets Rookie to Reach MLB Benchmark for Speed, Power

Former Oklahoma State baseball star Carson Benge keeps racking up accomplishment in his rookie season for the New York Mets.

The Mets started their final series of the year on the road against the Washington Nationals. The Mets are out of the playoff race but Benge is still checking things off in an excellent season that should put him in the running for National League rookie of the year.

In the fifth inning of Friday’s game, Benge hit a solo home run to right field, giving him 20 home runs for the season. That’s a great round number for a rookie. But combined with other numbers, he became the first Mets rookie to have a 20-20 season.

Carson Benge’s Latest Mark

And now Benge goes yard! 😤 pic.twitter.com/FMViQv0RQ2
— New York Mets (@Mets) September 26, 2026

Benge has 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases, the first rookie to combine the two stats that show a player’s blend of power and speed. He also became just the 18th player in MLB history to do it as a rookie. He’s already set the Mets record for most hits by a rookie.

The other rookies who went 20-20 in their first season without any MLB experience the prior season were Jackson Chourio, Anthony Volpe, Bobby Witt Jr., Julio Rodríguez, Marty Cordova, Ellis Burks and Mitchell Page, per MLB.com. The other 10 had a small number of games before their rookie season and retained their rookie status.

“I feel like anything that can be in the history books and done for the first time is something special, and I hold that close to the heart,” Benge said to reporters after the game.

It’s as good a rookie season as the Mets and Benge could have asked. The 2025 first-round pick won an opening day job in spring training after New York traded Brandon Nimmo to the Texas Rangers for second baseman Marcus Semien, leaving open an outfield spot. After a first month in which he batted around .200, Benge surged into the rookie of the year conversation.

Entering Saturday’s game he is slashing .277/.342/.426 with 20 home runs and 64 RBI. He also has 21 doubles, three triples, 22 stolen bases and a .768 OPS.

"I feel like anything that can be in the history books and done for the first time is something special. I hold that close to my heart. God is good all the time."

Carson Benge talks about being the first Mets rookie to have a 20/20 season: pic.twitter.com/DV87XH2O1l
— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) September 26, 2026

In addition to the 20-20 season, he is the seventh player in MLB history to have at least 160 hits, 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases in their rookie season, per Mike Mayer of Metsmerized. The other players are Corbin Carroll, Mike Trout, Carlos Beltrán, Nomar Garciaparra, Devon White and Tommie Agee.

Agee accomplished that with the Chicago White Sox in 1966. He played for the Mets from 19868-1972.

Benge has accomplished several other significant milestones this season.

He is the first Mets player in history to throw out two runners at home in the same inning.

Earlier this season he became the first Mets rookie to become a 15-15 player since Darryl Strawberry did it in 1983.

Benge is the third Mets player in the last 35 years to have at least 15 home runs, 15 stolen bases and 10 assists in a season.

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