What Carson Benge's Spring Usage Says About His 2026 Role

The New York Mets have a position battle going on in right field with top prospect Carson Benge at the forefront of it.

Feb 27, 2026; Jupiter, Florida, USA; New York Mets right fielder Carson Benge (93) makes a diving catch to retire St. Louis Cardinals left fielder Nelson Velázquez (not pictured) during the second inning at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Opening Day is just 20 days away and the New York Mets have a battle in right field.

The favorite is top prospect Carson Benge who is competing with MJ Melendez, Mike Tauchman, Tyrone Taylor and Brett Baty.

But even if Benge doesn't make the club out of spring training, it's not the end of the world. The prospect's usage in camp shows that he will play a role in the big-leagues in 2026.

Benge has played in five Grapefruit League games so far, slashing .308/.357/.308. He also hit an impressive opposite field home run in an exhibition game against Team Israel.

The Mets think very highly of Benge, who tore up the minor leagues a season ago. The 2024 first-round draft pick hit .281/.385/.472 with a .857 OPS, 15 homers and 73 RBI across High-A, Double-A and Triple-A ball.

However, he did struggle in Triple-A Syracuse, hitting just .178 with a .583 OPS in 24 games. The Mets could decide that Benge needs more time in Triple-A to open the regular season.

Regardless, Benge has been getting a significant amount of looks with the major league club in camp.

Benge has also looked very poised during spring training. And in the outfield, he has shown off his strong throwing-arm. The Mets have stressed "run prevention" all offseason and putting Benge out there in right field helps improve this area.

The Mets are clearly getting Benge ready for major league action with the way they have used him this spring.

Whether the Mets opt to start him on Opening Day or not, the top prospect will certainly play a role in the majors this season. He could very well benefit with more time in the minors, but Benge will likely be making an impact for the Mets in 2026.

Other Top Prospects

Feb 25, 2026; Port St. Lucie, Florida, USA; New York Mets pitcher Jonah Tong (21) pitches in the first inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Clover Park. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images | Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

Beyond Benge, the Mets have a number of top prospects that could help the team this year.

Jonah Tong and Christian Scott will be relied on as two key starting pitching depth pieces that can help the big-league club at any point this season.

Both pitchers hold MLB experience with the Mets and have shown flashes of promise in the past.

A.J. Ewing, Nick Morabito and Jacob Reimer are three names on the position player side that could also factor into the mix pretty soon here.

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