Why the Mets' Right Field Battle Isn't as Open as it Looks

After it was announced that superstar Juan Soto would be moving to left field this season, this opened up the right field position for competition by the New York Mets.

Or did it?

The Mets have top prospect Carson Benge, Tyrone Taylor, MJ Melendez and newest signing Mike Tauchman as options for right field. However, it appears that the right field job is Benge's to lose this spring.

"We've been consistent throughout the offseason that Carson's gonna come to camp with a chance to make our team -- that remains the same," president of baseball operations David Stearns said last week. "He's played a lot of right field during his time in the minor leagues. We're confident with him out there."

This isn't the first time that Stearns has said Benge will have a chance to make the Mets out of camp. Stearns said it for the first time back at GM Meetings in November even before the Mets traded left fielder Brandon Nimmo to the Texas Rangers for second baseman Marcus Semien later that month.

Benge was initially expected to compete for the center field job, but the Mets traded for Luis Robert Jr. to fill this void with his massive upside and elite defense. And while left field seemed like the next most logical spot for Benge, it was revealed that Soto would play there, leaving right field as the open job.

Unless Benge really struggles both offensively and defensively this spring, he should be the Mets' starting right fielder come Opening Day.

"I think evaluations in spring are always a little bit fraught, and we know that," Stearns noted. "We want to see quality at-bats, we want to see him handle the outfield. It's also gonna depend on what some other guys do, right? It's not all going to be dependent on how Carson looks.

"We're not gonna get too preoccupied with surface line results one way or the other, and we'll make the best decision that we can on Opening Day -- recognizing that Opening Day is one day, and rosters can change pretty quickly."

Benge was the Mets' first-round draft pick in the 2024 MLB Draft at No. 19 overall. He quickly rose through the ranks of the Mets' farm system in his first full professional season last year, slashing .281/.385/.472 with 15 home runs, 72 RBI and a .857 OPS in 116 games between High-A ball, Double-A and Triple-A.

However, Benge, struggled mightily in Triple-A Syracuse with a .178 average and .583 OPS in 24 games upon being promoted.

While it's possible that Benge could use some more time down in Triple-A, the Mets' best roster on paper would be with the 23-year-old manning right field.

"I heard the prospect is big time in right field, we're going to see if he can make the team," Soto said of Benge earlier in the week.

Juan Soto shouts out Carson Benge while talking about how he feels his move to left field will help the Mets:

"I heard the prospect is big time in right field, we're going to see if he can make the team" pic.twitter.com/x1jCcW9UEI
— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) February 15, 2026

This is high praise coming from a player of Soto's caliber. And there's certainly plenty of hype surrounding Benge in Mets camp.

For the Mets to put the best team on the field on Opening Day, it will be with Benge starting in right field. At this point it looks like his job to lose.

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