Where Mets' Carson Benge Ranks Among Top Outfield Prospects

After four years in the minors, Williams was expected to finally see some big league playing time in 2026, but recent infield acquisitions of Bo Bichette, Marcus Semien, and Jorge Polanco crowded the picture. Sproat made his debut last year but was still clearly the odd man out of the Mets former big three pitching prospect trio with Nolan McLean and Jonah Tong, making him expendable too.

But perhaps the most crucial factor in David Stearns' decision is the extreme depth of his current farm system, not only for years in the future, but players that are ready to contribute next season. The Mets expect McLean, who has just eight MLB starts under his belt, to pitch at the front of their rotation alongside Peralta. It's also likely that they will lean on Tong next season and certainly see him as a future contributor with their reported unwillingness to include him in the Peralta haul.

And of course, the potential X-Factor and ceiling raiser for the 2026 campaign, Carson Benge is going to have a chance to make the team during Spring Training and could reasonably be the starting left fielder by Opening Day. It seems the Mets aren't alone in their optimism for the 23-year-old, as he was ranked 4th among all outfield prospects by MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo in his preseason top ten.

Carson Benge Ranks 4th Among Outfield Prospects

Benge, who is currently New York's No. 2 overall prospect, soared up the Mets system during a stellar 2025 campaign. In his first full minor league season, the lefty slugger posted a .281/.385/.472 slash line with 15 homers and 73 RBIs in 116 games split between High-A, Double-A, and Triple-A. Despite struggling during his limited Triple-A action while dealing with a hand injury, the Mets saw enough to give him a reasonable shot at the big league roster.

After trading for Luis Robert Jr., the only remaining question mark from a roster standpoint would be left field. But as Stearns indicated on Wednesday, the club is "happy" with their group of position players and is unlikely to make any more significant additions. This means that Benge's main competition in left field is Tyrone Taylor, who is a tremendous defender but not a starting outfielder on a World Series-caliber roster. If the young slugger can produce early, he should have no problem taking over left field duties.

But what is it about Benge that makes the Mets trust him despite playing just 16 games in Triple-A? In the MLB.com article, Mayo identifies Benge's well-rounded abilities, calling him the player with the highest floor. The 2024 first-round pick was given above average grades in every tool across the board, with his Hit and Arm graded a 60/80 and his Power, Run, and Field coming in at 55/80.

There is no denying Benge is an elite talent, as evidenced by his strong preseason ranking. However, the most credible evidence to support the claim that he is ready to impact winning at the major league level is the Mets' pronounced belief in him, giving him an extended runway to be the left fielder of the future in Queens.

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