Mets make Opening Day decision on rookie Carson Benge
· Yahoo Sports
The New York Mets have informed rookie outfielder Carson Benge that he will be on their Opening Day roster, according to multiple reports March 23.
Visit betsport.cv for more information.
MORE: Ex-Mets manager Mickey Callaway gets first U.S. baseball job since MLB suspension
Mike Puma of the New York Post was first to relay the news from manager Carlos Mendoza on his X account.
Benge, 23, was the Mets’ first-round draft pick (19th overall) in 2024. He slashed .366/.435/.874 in 14 spring training games.
Now, the consensus Top-20 prospect in MLB will join a star-studded outfield that includes left fielder Juan Soto and center fielder Luis Robert Jr. on Opening Day.
The Mets host the Pittsburgh Pirates on March 26 at Citi Field in their first regular-season game of 2026.
Benge finished the 2025 season at Triple-A Syracuse, where he hit .178/.272/.311 in 24 games.
“In the long run, it’s good for him to experience a little bit of what he went through in Syracuse,” Mets director of major league hitting Jeff Albert told NJ.com at Mets camp recently. “We really talked about it. The ball is not going to fall in all the time or there’s adjustments that you’ll need to make on your swing.”
But he made a big enough leap in Grapefruit League play to justify his inclusion on the Mets’ Opening Day roster. It did not hurt that veteran Mike Tauchman suffered a knee injury over the weekend, or that veteran MJ Melendez signed a split contract that allows him to return from Syracuse if injuries arise at multiple positions.
For now, the onus is on Benge to prove he belongs at the big league level. He’ll face a stiff test on Opening Day, when reigning National League Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes is scheduled to take the ball for Pittsburgh.
— Enjoy free coverage of the top news & trending stories on The Big Lead —
MARCH MADNESS: Updated 2026 March Madness bracket, Sweet 16 set for NCAA Tournament
NFL: 3 NFL Draft prospects whose stock is in question
MLB: Dodgers cut World Series champion three days before Opening Day
NBA: Kevin Durant has low-key response to passing Michael Jordan on NBA scoring list
ENTERTAINMENT: Fans react to Chappel Roan, Jorginho daughter controversy
VIRAL: Flau’jae Johnson, Kim Mulkey share emotional moment after final LSU home game