Mets Opening Day Roster Projection 3.0

Here's where things start to get a little tricky. The left side of the infield is set, with Francisco Lindor set to continue his tenure as Mets shortstop and splashy free agent acquisition Bo Bichette manning the hot corner third base.

Fellow newcomer Marcus Semien will be expected to handle the lion's share of second base duties, but Jorge Polanco and Brett Baty are also capable of playing second base and each offer comparative upside offensively.

However, the most likely scenario sees Semien at second base, Baty at first, and Polanco - statistically the worst fielder of the three - serving as the designated hitter (DH). This leaves Mark Vientos, a natural third baseman who has been learning how to play first base this spring, on the bench.

Outfielders (5)

Prolific slugger Juan Soto is expected to be the everyday left fielder. Yet another much-anticipated arrival set to make his Mets debut on Opening Day is Luis Robert Jr., who will start in center field. The final spot in the Mets lineup - right field - is arguably the most difficult to predict.

The general expectation is that rising rookie and farm system product Carson Benge will open the season in right field. However, manager Carlos Mendoza could also call upon the services of either of the two veteran depth outfielders at his disposal in the form of on-base savant Mike Tauchman and defensive ace Tyrone Taylor. Tauchman is a natural corner outfielder who would fit seamlessly in right field, while Taylor would likely start in his preferred center field and push Robert Jr. into right field.

Starting Pitchers (6)

Former All-Star Freddy Peralta will toe the slab on Opening Day, having turned down the opportunity to represent the Dominican Republic at the recently concluded World Baseball Classic in favor of preparing for the ace role with his new team.

Nolan McLean recently represented Team USA at the WBC, and he returns to the Mets as their projected No. 2 starting pitcher.

For the final four spots in the starting rotation (a six-man rotation is becoming increasingly likely for the Mets), Clay Holmes, David Peterson, Kodai Senga, and Sean Manaea provide dependable veteran experience for Mendoza to rely upon during the grueling regular season.

Top starting pitching prospects Jonah Tong and Christian Scott could feature in low-leverage relief roles on Opening Day, but it's more likely that the pair start their seasons as starters with Triple-A Syracuse.

High-Leverage Relievers (3)

Devin Williams and Luke Weaver may have spent last season in the Bronx, but they both jumped ship for Queens via free agency this past offseason. Williams got the more lucrative contract of the two, illustrative of the fact that the Mets plan to deploy him as the closer. Weaver's high-leverage relief partner will be Brooks Raley, who the Mets will hope can carry his stellar performances as a setup man from 2025 into 2026.

Low-Leverage Relievers (4)

Lefty Bryan Hudson and righty Tobias Myers will anchor the Mets' low-leverage relief options, with Myers likely serving as a long reliever due to his experience as a starting pitcher. After a really strong spring which included clean outings both with the Mets during spring training and for the Dominican Republic at the WBC, Huascar Brazoban's bullpen seat should be reserved for him too.

This leaves two veteran journeymen, 39-year-old Luis Garcia and 37-year-old Craig Kimbrel, duking it out for the final spot in the Mets bullpen. Kimbrel had a stronger 2025 season, so I'll give him the nod.

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