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The next NY Mets prospect that could have a meteoric rise like Carson Benge

Look out for this NY Mets propsect in next year's rankings.
ByNoah Wright|
Jun 20, 2023; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Draft prospect A.J. Ewing during a high school baseball game at the MLB Draft Combine at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Jun 20, 2023; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Draft prospect A.J. Ewing during a high school baseball game at the MLB Draft Combine at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

MLB Pipeline recently released their updated prospect lists. New York Mets' 2024 first-round pick Carson Benge has had one of the most meteoric rises in the sport this year, according to their list. Benge started out outside Pipeline's top 100 prospect list. Now, after such a strong season, the outfield prospect is their 20th-best prospect. The Mets have yet another prospect who could have a similar rise next season in A.J. Ewing.

Ewing was the Mets' fourth-round compensation pick in the 2023 draft. While he didn't do very well in his first taste of action last year, he has been excellent in 2025. He started the year off at St. Luice, and after a scorching hot start to the year where he had 26 hits with 15 walks to only ten strikeouts in 81 plate appearances, Ewing was sent to Brooklyn, where he has spent the rest of the season thus far.

He has continued to be a quality hitter, turning in a .288/.387/.388 triple-slash. Ewing draws plenty of walks with a 13.1% BB% over his 351 plate appearances at High-A, and only with an 18.8% strikeout percentage. He is using his ability to get on base at a high rate to its fullest potential, going 44-for-51 in stolen base attempts. He may only have two home runs on the year, but Ewing has a strong .371 wOBA and 138 wRC+ at Brooklyn.

A.J. Ewing could be the next Mets prospect to have a sudden rise in prospect rankings.

Like Benge, Ewing has already made major strides in prospect rankings. MLB Pipeline ranked him just inside the Mets' top 30 at the start of the season, coming in at 28. Now, after their latest update, he is now among the top ten, sitting at seventh. The only six above him include Benge, Jett Williams, Nolan McLean, Jonah Tong (all four of which are top 50 prospects on their top 100 list), Brandon Sproat, and Jacob Reimer.

There is a lot more that could help Ewing make even more gains in prospect rankings by next year. He has proven to be able to play both the outfield and second base. Some have even gone so far as to call him a 'freak athlete.' His speed, pitch recognition, and bat-to-ball skills make him a player you could see leading off for the Mets in the coming years. His power is the only thing that is truly lacking.

The Mets have already seen this type of player make top 100 lists. Heading into the 2024 season, Luisangel Acuna was a consensus top 100 prospect. He hit for a similar average with about the same amount of power and strikeout rate, but walked less frequently for the Texas Rangers' and NY Mets' Double-A affiliates. He has struggled this year in the Major Leagues, but was MLB Pipeline's 66th-best prospect going into last year. Ewing is arguably even more polished now than Acuna was in 2023.

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