Grading the Mets' 2026 Rookie Class: Carson Benge Exceeds Expectations in Year 1

When reflecting on the Mets' 2026 season, the most memorable aspect is easily their rookie class. 14 rookies played for the team, with each bringing value and offering insight into what the future could look like in Queens.

That said, evaluating each of them individually to see how President of Baseball Operations David Stearns can build around his young core is very important. Each player will receive a letter grade, indicating their performance in 2026 as well as their likelihood of future success with the club.

1. Carson Benge: A+

What can be said about Benge that hasn't already been said? The all-time rookie Met hit leader and the first rookie in Met history to join the 20-20 club, Benge certainly left an impression.

If that wasn't enough, his elite defense and strong arm make his case for rookie of the year even stronger. This all came after a very tough start to the season, where he hit just .192 in the month of April.

Benge showed the importance of a team sticking with a young player through their struggles. They could have easily sent him back down to the minor leagues, but their faith in him paid off in spades.

Benge played in just 131 minor league games and jumped from Single-A to Triple-A in 2025 alone. With more protection around him in the lineup in 2027, there's no telling where his continued development can lead; he may have even earned the permanent leadoff spot in next year's lineup.

2. A.J. Ewing: B+

Ewing is another rookie on this list who rose through the ranks of the minor leagues very quickly. His quick bat and veteran-like approach at the plate make it easy to forget that he's just 22 years old.

His hitting struggles brought down his grade, but he finished the season on a great note, batting .309 in September. Ewing and Benge's combined outfield defense turned heads and even led to them calling themselves the "psychopaths."

Ewing's speed can also be categorized as psychopathic, in a very good way. His 25 stolen bases broke the Mets' rookie record set by Mookie Wilson in 1981 (h/t AnthonyDiComo).

A.J. Ewing just set a record for stolen bases by a Mets rookie, with 25.

1. Ewing, 25 (2026)
2. Mookie Wilson, 24 (1981)
3-t. Carson Benge, 22 (2026)
3-t. Lee Mazzilli, 22 (1977)
5. Gregg Jefferies, 21 (1989) pic.twitter.com/3wR3lGrztI
— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) September 23, 2026

A good argument can be made that, out of every position group on the Mets, the outfield is the most set for the future, and that's in large part due to Ewing's center field defense. With Benge and Ewing's proven gloves, and Juan Soto's veteran experience and defensive improvement, it's the one area of the team that Stearns can feel comfortable with.

3. Nolan McLean: A-

McLean's debut in 2025 showed the flashes of brilliance that he's capable of, and 2026 did the same, on a much larger scale. McLean had his struggles, namely in the month of May, when he posted a 6.10 ERA, but in every other month it did not go over 3.75.

McLean has some of the nastiest off-speed pitches in the game, with elite spin rate, but that doesn't come without its challenges. Occasionally, he has some control issues, and while his 3.5 BB/9 isn't necessarily high, it can certainly be improved upon.

Nolan McLean, Incredible 3598 RPM Curveball. 😳 pic.twitter.com/H5geUY8oTF
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) July 19, 2026

If Stearns ultimately decides to make McLean the team's ace in 2027, the rotation could still be filled out nicely from internal options. However, it would likely be best for the team and McLean himself to find an ace elsewhere, as while McLean certainly had ace-caliber stuff, he would benefit greatly from learning behind an established ace and growing from there.

4. Zac Thornton: B+

Thornton was a welcome surprise to a beleaguered Met rotation. In 15 games, he posted a 3.42 ERA and has positioned himself well for a spot on the team in 2027.

After the trade of David Peterson to the Chicago Cubs, the team was desperate for a reliable lefty, especially given Sean Manaea's struggles. Thornton made the start on June 26, a day after the Peterson trade, and threw for 6 innings of one-run ball against the Philadelphia Phillies.

He then became a mainstay in the rotation from July till the end of the season. The main reason Thornton did not receive an "A" grade is because of his lack of innings and the unknown of what a full season of pitching could look like for him in 2027.

Thornton's 147 innings in 2026 across the minor and major leagues were the most of his professional career; his highest prior was 72.2 in 2025. He did not look fatigued whatsoever over his last few starts, but it remains to be seen how he will respond to a full big-league workload.

5. Nate Lavender: A

Lavender excelled after the Mets' sale at the trade deadline. He posted a 1.66 ERA in 21 games, essentially becoming the new Brooks Raley after Raley was dealt to the Philadelphia Phillies.

Lavender had a long journey to the big leagues. After being drafted by the Mets in 2021 and rising to Triple-A in 2024, he had an internal brace procedure on his left elbow that same year.

He was then selected by the Tampa Bay Rays in the Rule 5 draft, but didn't throw a pitch for the team, as he was sidelined again in August 2025 to have surgery to remove a bone spur from his left elbow.

That's what makes Lavender's 2026 campaign all the more impressive. While it's true that relievers are the most volatile players in baseball, it's important to have a little bit of carryover to next year's bullpen, and Lavender can be part of that.

Incomplete grades

The following rookies did not play enough in 2026 for it to be appropriate to receive a grade, but they are all worth analyzing for what they could bring to the future of the team.

6. Jonah Tong

Tong got off to a rough start in the minors, but rebounded in July and August, which led to a longer stay in the big leagues in September. His final four appearances were starts, the best of which came against the Baltimore Orioles on September 14th, when he pitched 6 innings and gave up no earned runs.

When asked about Tong at the end of the season (h/t SNY Mets), Mets manager Andy Green had this to say about his chances of making the big-league roster in 2027.

His job is to make it so freaking obvious to us that he deserves to be here that we can't make those type of decisions when he competes in spring training.
Andy Green on Jonah Tong

Green has been forthright with his young players: if you play well, you get playing time. By this time next year, Tong has a good chance to change this incomplete grade significantly if he can just be consistent at the start of the season.

7. Nick Morabito

Morabito has the chance to round out the Mets' young outfield in the future, when Soto transitions to DH. He rose through the ranks in MLB.com's top Mets prospects, where he was ranked 18th in 2025 and 12th in 2026.

He struggled in his brief big -league time, posting a .195 batting average in 19 games. He showed flashes in Triple-A, though, hitting 13 home runs in 114 games. The most appealing aspect of his game is his speed. He stole 42 bases last year and 49 at the Double-A level in 2025.

If he is able to improve his hitting, he can join what would become one of the fastest outfields in baseball.

8. Dylan Ross

Ross's career has been riddled with injuries. He's had two UCL surgeries and pitched only 11.2 innings between 2021 and 2024.

He bounced back in 2025, though, where—across three levels—he held a 2.17 ERA. He has a fastball that sits in the mid-90s and has topped out at 102 mph, so the talent is there; health is the only question.

In 2026, he struggled in the minors but received a September call-up and pitched in one game on September 1st, where he had a scoreless inning against the Tampa Bay Rays. Barring a spectacular spring training, Ross is going to have to show more consistency in the minor leagues, as he did in 2025.

9. Matt Seelinger

Seelinger's road to the big leagues was long and took many twists and turns, but he lived out his dream as an MLB pitcher and made history as the only big leaguer to come from Farmingdale State College.

Seelinger was selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 2017 draft, and for nine years, he did everything he could to live out his dream, including a stay with the Long Island Ducks in 2024. While he greatly struggled in his debut, giving up seven earned runs, there's something to be said about the grit and determination it took to get to that point.

Others who fall in the incomplete category include Jefry Yan, Jack Weisenburger, Jonathan Pintaro, Chayce McDermott and Justin Hagenman.

With overwhelmingly positive grades, the Mets' young core positions them well for future success. There are also guys such as Jefferson Rojas, Jonathan Santucci, and Elian Peña who are waiting in the wings and could very well make an impact in the near future.

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