Mets' Star Prospect Will Be Player to Watch During Spring Training

Should the New York Mets expect their top prospect to win a starting job?

Jul 13, 2022; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; A detailed view of a New York Mets hat and glove in the dugout against the Atlanta Braves in the eighth inning at Truist Park. | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

With pitchers and catchers reporting for the New York Mets, the start of the regular season is right around the corner. As spring training starts to heat up, the Mets will be keeping an eye on a potential key player.

Despite a slow start to the offseason that resulted in the departures of several key players, New York stuck the landing by making some great additions later on. The team once again looks strong after bringing in Bo Bichette to fortify the lineup, Luis Robert Jr. to strengthen the defense, and Freddy Peralta to anchor the starting rotation.

An injury to Francisco Lindor right from the start isn’t ideal, but the Mets' infield depth is strong and they still believe he can be ready for the start of the season.

Read More: What the Francisco Lindor Injury Means for the Mets

With a lot of new faces in new positions, there is going to be plenty to watch for New York this spring. However, arguably the top player to watch will be top prospect Carson Benge, who ESPN's Alden Gonzalez recently wrote about in a February 11 article.

Carson Benge Has Massive Opportunity in Spring Training

Oklahoma State Carson Benge | NATHAN J. FISH/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK

"Prominent members of the Mets are really high on Benge, which is probably unsurprising for a consensus top-20 prospect," Gonzalez wrote. "But they view him as the complete package -- someone who has already polished his defense and his baserunning enough to combine with his plus arm and promising offensive profile, giving him a chance to be a true five-tool player in the major leagues."

With the most notable decision to trade Brandon Nimmo to the Texas Rangers, an outfield spot has opened up for New York this winter. This has given Benge the inside track to be a starter on Opening Day, but he still needs to go out there and earn it.

If last year is any indication, the 23-year-old brings a multitude of skills to the table. In 116 games across three different levels of the minors last year, he slashed .281/.385/.472 with 15 home runs, 73 RBI, and 22 stolen bases.

There is a lot to like about Benge’s game and his ability to do a lot of things well on the diamond. However, making the jump to the majors is never easy, and no prospect is ever a slam dunk.

While Benge might be the favorite to get that last starting spot with Juan Soto in left and Robert in center, Brett Baty could also be seeing some time in the outfield. He is unproven defensively at the position, but the team needs to find him at-bats somewhere after breaking out in 2025.

Overall, Benge is undoubtedly going to be a player who the Mets and their fans will be watching closely. Hopefully, he gets off to a good start and makes the decision to make him the starter an easy one.

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