Carson Benge, Brett Baty continue to turn heads in camp
Plus, Juan Soto had another big night in the WBC on Wednesday
What’s Up with the Mets? 🌴
The Mets were off on Wednesday, but will return to action against the Cardinals later today
The first Subway Series of the 2026 season on May 15 will air exclusively on Apple TV (MLB)
Wednesday, March 11:
Juan Soto (DR): 2-for-4, 1 R, 2 RBI, 1 HR, 1 BB, 1 K
Huascar Brazobán (DR): 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
Nick Morabito (ITA): 0-for-1
Schedule | Standings | Scores
What I’m Reading 📰
Jacob Reimer has been opening plenty of eyes throughout spring training (NY Post)
Bo Bichette is the key to the Mets’ revamped defense finding success in 2026 (NY Post)
Bichette learned the art of clutch hitting from his dad, Dante (SNY)
Mark DeRosa and Team USA get their WBC reprieve - now they need to take advantage (The Athletic)
Looking at the top breakout players for all 30 MLB teams in 2026 (ESPN)
Just Mets Podcast 🎙️
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Today’s Game 🏝️
Match-up: Mets (9-5) at Cardinals (9-8)
Where: Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium - Jupiter, FL
Starters: LHP Sean Manaea (0-1, 3.00 ERA) vs. RHP Michael McGreevy (2-0, 3.24 ERA)
When: 1:05 PM EDT
Where to Watch: N/A
Checking in on the upwards trajectories of Carson Benge and Brett Baty ✍️
Let’s talk about two of the hottest names currently making the biggest waves in camp right now:
Carson Benge and Brett Baty.
The pair have been turning heads for all the right reasons, and with Opening Day exactly two weeks away, now seems a good time to perform a stock check on both players.
Let’s start with Benge.
I did a deep dive on Saturday into the competition for the right field job, where I outlined the pros and cons for and against Benge making the Opening Day roster. While he’s been a standout in camp, one could argue that the rookie would be better off getting more seasoning down in Triple-A to begin the year. I also made clear that I would be totally for Benge winning the job, although veteran outfielder Mike Tauchman has also been making a pretty compelling case for the gig.
Well, we’re just a few days removed from that newsletter going out, and since then, all Benge has done is cement his status as the favorite to be the Opening Day right fielder for the New York Mets.
Since Saturday, he has gone a combined 4-for-6 with two runs scored, six total bases, and four RBIs. He hit an RBI triple in his last game out against the Marlins, further impressing with his skills at the plate. Benge has shown a consistent ability to be able to put the ball in play, while displaying an admirable amount of plate discipline against lefties and righties.
With plus-speed, a plus-plus arm, an ability to produce gritty at-bats and stay alive in the count, not to mention being able to hit to all fields, it is hard not to be left excited by Benge’s undoubted potential. He clearly has all the skill sets and the intangibles needed to succeed in the major leagues, and he’s done everything that has been asked of him in camp so far.
Not only that, but as the speculation has continued to ramp up over who will win the right field job, Benge has only locked in even further. The pressure of trying to crack the big league roster clearly isn’t getting to him, and instead, he’s rising to the occasion every single day.
As such, the outfielder is making an incredible amount of noise now to the point that Tauchman has been shifted over to center field as of late. While that may not mean anything in the long run, it does at least seem to suggest that Benge will get the remainder of camp to play out of his mind and give the front office no other choice but to include him on the Opening Day roster.
All in all, while the Mets have remained noncommittal over Benge’s chances, there is no doubt that the prospect is riding a rapid upwards trajectory towards becoming an important everyday contributor for the big league club in 2026. And, with each passing day, it is becoming harder and harder to envision Benge not facing off against Paul Skenes and the Pirates in two weeks.
Now let’s talk about Baty.
The former first-round pick has had to battle for every opportunity he’s had in the majors so far, and there have been plenty of false dawns.
However, he has shown tantalizing signs of putting it all together this spring and, with his newfound versatility acting as a real valuable weapon, Baty could morph into a really important piece for the Mets in 2026.
He has impressed at first base and out in right field recently, while we know that he’s capable of playing at both third and second base. You can’t really put a price on that high level of versatility, and every team arguably needs a do-it-all player who can come in and excel in any situation he’s thrown in.
Furthermore, with this Mets team having both a high ceiling but also a lot of question marks, having a player like Baty who can pitch in at a number of different positions when needed could act as a safety net of sorts. There is also a lot of potential value in being able to bring Baty off the bench late in games and use his glove to help solidify the defense across the infield and outfield.
With so much uncertainty in particular at first base, it isn’t out of the realms of possibility that Baty could end up making that position his own in 2026. Although his encouraging outing there acts only as a small sample size, Baty has continually shown an ability and appetite to embrace every new challenge and take it on, and he’s certainly got the skillset needed to be a solid defender at first. That could then free up Jorge Polanco to get more reps at DH, a role in which he arguably has more value to the Mets.
Versatility aside, Baty has also shown this spring that he’s more confident at the plate than ever before. His bat has been a consistent threat in Grapefruit League games, and he’s currently hitting .462/.500/.769/.1.269 with six hits, one double, one homer, three runs scored, and five RBIs.
Again, we’ve been here with Baty before, but I think this time around is going to be different. He’s more mature, he’s already gained a lot of experience through overcoming a lot of adversity, and he’s clearly a more confident ballplayer right now. Plus, I don’t think you can overlook the fact that the Mets are clearly putting a lot of faith and trust in Baty this year, and that is having a positive outcome on what we’re seeing at the plate and out in the field.
If he can carry his hot spring into the season and pair it with his ability to play in a slew of different positions, then Baty the super-utility player could morph into a really valuable and important piece for the 2026 Mets.
Around the League 🚩
Astros LHP Josh Hader will begin the season on the IL with bicep tendinitis (MLB.com)
White Sox C Kyle Teel is likely to miss four to six weeks with a right hamstring strain (MLB.com)
Royals 1B Vinnie Pasquantino authored the first three-homer game in the history of the WBC as Italy beat Mexico 9-1 to advance
Thanks to Italy’s win, Team USA also advanced to the WBC quarterfinals, where they will face Canada
Everyday lineup: Alvarez , Baty 1st, Semien, Lindor, Bichette, Soto, Robert, Benge, Polanco DH (what an overpay). Tauchman first bat off the bench. Taylor, Torrens, Brujan/Mauricio pick one. Keeping Vientos means only 12 pitchers. It's a squeeze.
From the time of his signing, I never saw Polanco playing more than 50% of his games at 1B. With his injury history, I would think the Mets would be judicious in keeping him off the field as much as possible.