Following Nolan McLean, NY Mets prospect is becoming popular in fantasy baseball

You haven’t even embarrassed the last-place finisher in your 2025 fantasy baseball league with some kind of public shaming. It’s still not too early to start looking at what next season’s roster will look like as you try to defend a championship. You got a little help from some New York Mets players. Maybe you were wise enough to snag Nolan McLean long before he was pitching in the majors.

Baseball America has him as their number one riser, going up 341 spots to the 58th overall. He’s coming highly recommended next year and he’s not the only Mets player they think you should take.

At number 4, there’s Carson Benge. He has yet to show off his skills in the majors and has only sipped a medium sized mug of Triple-A coffee. Even so, he’s rising 304 spots on their draft board for next year.

Fantasy baseball experts are high on Mets prospect Carson Benge

Benge will make it to the majors at some point in 2026, likely not at the start of the season but David Stearns is open to it. Just 24 games of experience in Triple-A and a .178 batting average to go with it, anointing him your Opening Day center fielder would go against the conservative approach David Stearns has had with many of the club’s prospects. Even aggressive thinkers can be convinced he needs more time.

116 of his 131 games as a professional came last season. Benge rose quickly through the system, doing his best work in Double-A which led to the late-season promotion. The Mets had the right attitude with him when it came to his final promotion. While other notable prospects seem to have lingered a little too long in Double-A, they elevated him after 32 games. He played 60 in High-A prior.

Fantasy owners taking Benge in the draft will, like the Mets, may need to rely on some other outfield help in the meantime. He’s a keeper candidate who may end up occupying a roster spot for a larger part of this season than you’d like. Signs of being able to do a lot of things well from hitting for power (25 doubles and 18 home runs last year) to stealing bases (he swiped 22) help make him a well-rounded player who can grab you fantasy points in a variety of ways.

Interestingly, right behind him on the list is Rainiel Rodriguez. A St. Louis Cardinals catching prospect who turns 19 in January leaped 255 spots. You’ll need far more patience with him than you will with Benge. A late-season surge is the kind of thing that can help you win a fantasy championship.