NY Mets would be making a rare exception for Carson Benge if he makes the team

The New York Mets have a few roster decisions to make when it comes to their outfield. Other than the spot guaranteed to Juan Soto, the remaining outfielders on the roster will have to win the starting job in spring training. The current depth chart lists several big league options but if Carson Benge makes the team out of spring training, he'll do something that hasn't been done in almost a decade.

If he is added to the Opening Day roster, Carson Benge will be the first player with no big league experience to do so since Pete Alonso

The last person to debut on Opening Day was technically Andrés Giménez in 2020 but that was a COVID-shortened season. The last person to make the team in a full season was Pete Alonso in 2019. If you don't recall, it was a somewhat memorable season. Alonso posted a 144 wRC+ and led all of MLB with 53 homers on the way to a Rookie of the Year campaign.

It'll be difficult for Benge, currently the No. 16 prospect in baseball, to recreate the rookie success of Pete Alonso but he has a chance. When asked about whether he could be the Mets' starting right fielder, president of baseball operations David Stearns said that his performance in spring training will be carefully evaluated. For a player drafted in 2024, it seems hasty but his minor league numbers have warranted the question.

Benge jumped from High-A to Triple-A in 2025 and posted impressive hitting numbers on the way. He posted a 168 wRC+ over 271 plate appearances with High-A Brooklyn and followed that up with a 184 wRC+ across 145 plate appearances with Double-A Binghamton. Triple-A brought challenges that he didn't quite iron out, limiting him to a 53 wRC+ over 103 plate appearances. This may be the main reason for the Mets' apprehension but his first full minor league season proved the hype is well-deserved.

If Benge doesn't seem ready by March, the Mets have plenty of other internal options to rely on. Furthermore, they've continued to add external options in right field. Although the organization doesn't have a clear candidate for the starting job, they can rely on a mix of players to serve as a stopgap while Benge adjusts his skillset to be big-league ready.

Even if he makes the team, there's no guarantee that he'll be able to keep his starting spot. After all, a month of spring training is hardly enough to fully assess what a young player can do at the highest level of competition. Nonetheless, it's encouraging that the Mets seem willing to give Benge a chance. On a team full of major-league veterans, it's crucial to give the young kids a chance to earn their keep.