MACK - Top 28 Prospects - #3 - RF/CF - Carson Benge

 

The excitement about the Mets' prospect pipeline has been building year over year as the team improves their domestic and international scouting.  Many of the Mets' picks are being discussed throughout baseball, so Mack has boiled it down to the top 28 to give the readers a glimpse into the team's future.  This series will run for 28 days, counting down from #28 to #1.  The entire list can be viewed by clicking "2026 Top 28 Prospects" on the top menu bar.

3.     Carson Benge

RF/CF/P    6-1    185    LHH    23/yrs. old in January

1st round (1.19) 2024 – Oklahoma State

2025 – A+/AA/AAA – 519-PA, 92-K, 68-BB, 15-HR, 73-RBI, .281, .857-OPS

GROK -

Carson Grant Benge is a highly touted outfield prospect in the New York Mets organization.

Originally a two-way player in college (outfield and pitching), Benge signed a $4 million bonus with the Mets on July 23, 2024, and committed to focusing solely on outfield duties.

Oklahoma State -   Benge starred for the Cowboys, earning All-Big 12 First Team honors in 2024 after slashing .335/.444/.665 with 24 doubles, seven home runs, 43 RBIs, and more walks (42) than strikeouts (32) in 304 plate appearances. His on-base skills and power potential stood out.

2024-2025 -   Benge quickly adapted to pro ball, debuting with Single-A St. Lucie (.273/.420/.436 over 15 games, two HRs).

He represented the Mets in the 2025 All-Star Futures Game alongside pitcher Jonah Tong.

Mets president David Stearns has confirmed Benge will compete for the Opening Day center field job in 2026 Spring Training, potentially solving a long-term need after short-term fixes like Harrison Bader and Jose Siri.

While his defense (71 starts in CF since high school) draws some caution, his elite bat (.281 AVG, 15 HRs in 2025 minors) and speed (22 SBs) make him a strong in-house option. Analysts project an MLB ETA of 2026, with potential to contribute immediately if he refines his glove work.

 

11-7-2025 - Just Baseball

2. Carson Benge – OF – (Triple-A)

Height/Weight: 6’2″, 185 | Bat/Throw: L/R | 1st Round (19), 2024 (NYM) | ETA: 2026

HIT     PLATE DISC.     GAME POWER     RUN  FIELD        FV

50/55     50/55                  45/55          55/55  45/55                55+

Much like his OSU teammate Nolan McLean, Benge was a legitimate two-way talent for the Cowboys. After a big freshman season, Benge tapped into much more power in his draft-eligible sophomore year, making it clear his future was in the batter’s box and there might be room for even more impact.

Hitting

A noisy operation in the box, Benge starts with an open stance and rocks into his back side with a big leg kick and barrel tip. He starts it all very early with impressive lower half control and balance that likely spills over from his experience on the mound.

After struggling to elevate in 2023, Benge slashed his ground ball rate by more than 10%, more than doubling his home run total to 18 while increasing his slug by 130 points. Upon shifting his focus to the batters box, Benge has tapped into much more raw power, posting above average exit velocities in High-A.

Benge could still benefit from getting the ball in the air more frequently and his moves may be difficult to time up against upper-level pitching. He has great hand-eye with impressive swing variance to get to pitches in tough spots.

A patient hitter, Benge has continued to draw walks at a high clip as a pro and can be difficult to put away. With the added raw power, Benge’s ceiling has been pushed a bit higher, with 25+ home runs not completely out of the realm of possibility, but at least the chance to hit at least 20 with plenty of doubles.

Defense/Speed

He predominantly played right field in his collegiate career, but he looks like he can play up the middle. Though he’s closer to an average straight-line runner, Benge’s athleticism paired with the great reads he gets and efficient routes give him a good shot of becoming an average center fielder. If he moves off of the middle, he would grade as an easy plus defender in a corner where his plus arm would play well.

Outlook

Benge is a unique athlete who may just be scraping the surface of the player he can ultimately be. Early returns in 2025 have Benge on an upward trajectory as he has clearly added impact and made a seamless transition to High-A Brooklyn where some hitters can get frustrated by the ball flight.

He has a wiry build and could probably add some more strength without losing speed and It’s not uncommon for two-way players to add mass upon shifting their focus from the mound.

Added strength could also facilitate a simpler operation in the box. Benge has the potential to be an everyday center fielder with average or better tools across the board.

 

11-12-25 

RVH/MM

Carson Benge, a 2024 first-round pick, was named as a real candidate to make the big-league roster out of spring training.

 

MetCast                       @MetCastPod

I’ve been saying this for months — multiple people inside the Mets organization have told me that Carson Benge is the apple of their eye and was considered “untouchable” at this year’s trade deadline. I also reported that he could be competing for a roster spot as early as this spring training.

MACK – If this was true, it will change everything immediately about the immediate future of the Mets outfield. Your starters out of cam could be Benge, Brandon Nimmo, and Juan Soto, moving Tyrone Taylor to a late inning defensive move in right

 

11-13-2025

Tom Brennan/MM

3. OF Carson Benge

Benge, the Mets’ 2024 first rounder, was incredible in High A and AA in his first full season.  He struggled in his late call up in AAA, but finished 8 for 25.  He feels to me like a May/June 2026 call up to the big leagues. 

Of course, if the Mets go for a short rebuild in 2026 instead, Benge could be a Mets opening day outfielder.

Hits very well, good power, a solidly muted strikeout rate, good speed, and a truly great arm.  What’s not to like?  Future MLB All Star?  I think so.

 

11-21-2025

TJStats –

#12 - Carson Benge solidified himself as one of the most complete prospects in baseball with an excellent pro debut season where he posted a .857 OPS across 116 games. His profile is balanced with above average tools across the board while manning the outfield. A solid 20.1% Whiff rate paired with a strong 21.9% O-Swing rate helped him maintain a 17.7% strikeout rate while walking at an elite rate. His underlying power metrics indicate he has above-average to plus raw strength, however his flatter bat path and pray tendencies may limit his slugging potential. His above average speed, good route running, and cannon of an arm greatly helps his outlook as a CF. Benge is one of the safer bets to be a MLB regular and looks poised to join the Mets early in the 2026 season.

 

11-24-2025

Angry Mike/MM

Benge was the Mets 1st round pick of the 2024 draft, selected 19th overall, and was a legit 2-way player at Oklahoma State, but committed to being a position player after being drafted. The primary concern with Benge going into the draft was whether or not he’d be able to translate his considerable raw power into game power, but several pre-draft scouting reports noted a couple minor adjustments to his should allow him to tap into his power potential. 

Some analysts reported Benge as a top 15 talent heading into the draft, which is why the Mets were thrilled to see him fall to pick #19. Mets now have the true center fielder they have been searching for, a legit 5-tool talent, with one of the strongest arms in the system, he’s a plus athlete, logging reps at both CF & RF at every minor league level. Started 2025 at Brooklyn and quickly forced a promotion to Double-A Binghamton, pairing with Jett Williams, Nick Morabito, Ryan Clifford, and Jacob Reimer to create one of the most potent offenses in the minor leagues.

Carson Benge is an explosive game-changer, with the qualities teams drool over. He’s one of the more exciting players we’ve ever drafted, and I look forward to seeing him establish himself as our “center fielder of the future”, next season…

 

11-28-2025

RVH/MM

Carson Benge — Rotational Athlete with MLB Traits

Cause: Strong lower-half mechanics and real bat speed, but inconsistent advanced off-speed recognition.

Effect: Tools outpace game-readiness — MLB-caliber flashes mixed with pitch-processing inconsistencies.

Corrective Lever: Improve offspeed recognition and inside-out plane stability to unlock 20–25 HR potential.

Takeaway: Master the offspeed.

 

11-28-2025

Baseball America            @BaseballAmerica

Carson Benge's 150 wRC+ ranked 19th in the minors among batters with 400+ plate appearances.

Could he hit his way into the Mets' outfield mix early in 2026?

New scouting report:

https://t.co/OiStYYpxog             https://t.co/m8HhnhEiMv

 

12-5-2025

Angry Mike/MM

CARSON BENGE -> Stearns set the bar high announcing he has a chance to make the Opening Day roster. Which will make him the most closely watched player this Spring.

-> Even if he starts in AAA, how long until we seem him in Queens? Is he going to get play everyday after he arrives or will they deploy a similar rotation with batters we saw in 2025?

 

12-9-2025

Steve Sica/MM

2024: OF Carson Benge (19th Overall Selection)

What more is there left to say about Carson Benge? After the season he had in 2025, he’s proven time and time again why the Mets made him their first round selection in 2024. The Oklahoma State University product tore apart High-A and Double-A pitching all season long. At just 22 years old, his OPS sat at .978 in Double-A, a league that has humbled many players in the past.

Benge is ranked as one of the Mets best prospects going into 2026, and often seen as one of the best outfield prospects in the sport. He made the Futures Game roster in 2025, and is projected to join the big club as early as the summer of 2026. Benge is one of the most exciting prospects in their system, and for a team that’s struck out on a lot of first round draft picks in the past, Benge looks to buck that trend.

 

12-20-2025

Reese/MM

In the case of Benge, he’s demonstrated he has good defensive skills though not exceptional while delivering solid numbers at the plate an on the base paths after transitioning from pitching.  In AAA he combined between Brooklyn, Binghamton and Syracuse to hit .281 with 15 HRs, 73 RBIs and 22 SBs.  Many consider him a corner outfielder but the Mets have vacancies both in left and in center so it’s still unclear where the left handed hitter would start when he makes his Citifield debut.

Given his brief introduction to the minor league level with just 24 games and 90 ABs in AAA  it might be a little premature to pencil him into the the starting lineup.  Everyone is hoping he will continue his evolution as a multi tool offensive threat but for now it’s probably premature to pencil him into coming north with the big club.

 

11-14-2025

Hagen Snell        @HagenSnellBB

Seems inevitable that Carson Benge is on the Mets Opening Day roster or called up within 2 weeks. If so he’ll be PPI eligible & would net the Mets a draft pick if he wins the ROY award. Doing so would double the Mets odds with Nolan McLean eligible as well

 

1-4-2026

MLB.com

“When you have good players at the upper levels of the Minor Leagues,” Stearns said in November, “we have to find space for those players to play. Carson Benge is among them. He’s not the only one, but he’s among them. So as we build out our team, we have to ensure that, as we move forward, there is room for our young players to get to the Major Leagues when they deserve to get there -- and have a chance to really contribute to our Major League team.” – David Stearns

 

1-4-2026

MLB.com

OF Carson Benge (NYM No. 2 prospect, No. 21 overall)

From the beginning of this offseason, the Mets made it clear they wanted to leave space for Benge to contribute. Coming off a standout season that saw him dominate Double-A Binghamton as he climbed multiple levels in the farm system, Benge will compete for a job on the Opening Day roster. He may not win one. But even if that happens, Benge should get every opportunity to contribute to the Major League team at some point. So long as he continues producing at the plate, the 2024 first-round Draft pick is likely to run with it. -- Anthony DiComo

 

1-4-2026

SleeperMets                     @SleeperMets

Carson Benge- CF

Age: 22

Hit: 60 -Above Average

Power: 50 -Average

Run: 55 -Average

Arm: 60 -Above average

Field: 55 -Average

Overall: 55- Everyday MLB player, average production

 

1-4-2026

Eric Cross         @EricCrossMLB

Prospects in Triple-A (Min 100 PA) with a 75+% contact and 50+% Hard-Hit rate in 2025.

Chase DeLauter (CLE) 81.1% Contact/51.9% HH

Carson Benge (NYM) 79.9%/53.5%

Jacob Melton (TBR) 79.3%/57.9%

Abimelec Ortiz (TEX) 77.5%/53.8%

Ryan Ward  (LAD) 78.4%/50.2%

 

1-7-2026

Reese Kaplan/MM

There’s not much else going on in the outfield.  Some are advocating rushing Carson Benge to the majors to play one of the vacant outfield positions, but he’s only had 90 AAA at bats.  His overall numbers working his way up as an offensive player are impressive.  His minor league career batting average is .280 with 17 HRs, 81 RBIs and 25 SBs.  Right now the Mets are tipping a bit on the left side where it comes to offense and Benge is another hitter who is a lefty.  While it wouldn’t surprise anyone to see Benge advance mid year or even as late as September, he likely needs more time to face minor league pitching and to play a single outfield position to demonstrate defensive mastery of it.

1-16-2025

MetsMuse         @MetsMuse

UPDATE: Per Steve Gelbs, the Mets are giving Carson Benge a very serious opportunity to make the major league roster out of camp.

Many have Benge in their projected 2026 lineup for the Mets.

Cautious Optimist -- The Richard Neer Interview: Part I

 

How's this for a career?

A truly legendary figure in broadcast radio, Richard Neer's career spanned over five decades, and is second in continuous duration to Bruce Morrow ('Cousin Brucie') who himself is likely to continue broadcasting from the grave when the occasion arises.  Neer was there when NY's greatest Rock station, WNEW FM was just getting its sea legs along with Scott Muni (Scottso), Alison Steele (the Nightbird), and Jonathan Schwartz, among others, ultimately serving as program director as well as taking a regular shift spinning records on air.  It’s no exaggeration to say that Neer was instrumental in helping to break another kid from New Jersey, Bruce Springsteen, who has apparently had a decent career of his own.

For a time in the late 1990s, Neer sat at the mic covering shifts at both WNEW and WFAN, eventually leaving the former to take up full-time duties at the FAN. Among the first local hires at the station, Neer was an integral part of a line-up whose mornings were anchored by the late controversial icon Don Imus, and featured other notable figures including long time Yankee analyst, Suzyn Waldman,  Ed Coleman and Mike Francesca, and eventually, Chris Russo who became Francesca’s partner on the iconic ‘Mike and the Mad Dog’ drive time show. Known as the voice of reason among hosts, Neer's soothing way and respectful engagements with listeners stood in stark contrast to some of the more hyperbolic screeds of other hosts.

Along the way, Neer managed to publish a prescient book: FM: The Rise and Fall of Rock Radio, which had the unfortunate publishing date of 09/11/2001.  Neer has published twelve mystery novels featuring protagonist, Riley King.

The following is Part I of a two-part interview culled from a two hour conversation Neer and I had a couple of weeks ago covering his career, experiences and memories of his time at both WNEW and WFAN, the connection between music and baseball, our shared love for both rock music and the Mets.  The questions and answers have been edited for brevity and for this format.

The interview format means that this post necessarily will be longer than the norm

____________________________________________________________________________________

Where to begin?

Cautious Optimist (CO):  Let's start with Sports Talk radio?  I used to turn it on and listen pretty much all day - until about 8 years ago.  Now I almost never turn it on.  Am I just getting older and crankier, or am I right in thinking that no one talks sports anymore on Sports Radio?  It's all Barstool to my ears.

Richard Neer (RN):  Face it.  We are getting older; maybe crankier too.  But the truth is that after you get to a certain age, 54 actually, you are no longer part of the target audience.  Modern day equivalent of the suits on Madison Avenue aren’t trying to sell you anything on Sports Radio.  Commercials are geared to reaching an audience they believe can be influenced to form allegiance to their products, whether it's a beer or, more likely, a betting app.  Sports betting is a massive industry, and it can be all done on apps, which is already not part of our skillset.  We are more likely to worry about the state of our retirement accounts than make bets on props or game outcomes.  I worked too hard for my money to give it away. 

CO: There's no real dialogue between listener's who call in and the hosts anymore.

N: That's intentional.  Almost all the shows now feature two hosts and the dialogue is between them. One host takes one position and the other often takes the opposite position.  Sometimes it seems to be set up that way.  Then the listener's call in taking one side or the other. It feels more scripted and less spontaneous.  But it wasn't always this way. But the ratings are good as is the revenue, so don’t expect a return to more thoughtful engagement we may both be romanticizing a bit anytime soon.

It’s entertainment at the end of the day, and what you lament, others obviously find entertaining.

CO:  We will get to your days at WNEW later, but I recall you did your first sports radio talk show on WNEW with Rick Cerone (not the Yankee catcher, but a PR director for the Yankees and Pirates and currently the editor o Baseball Digest.  

RN: That's right.  After WNEW FM, I hosted a three-hour sports talk show with Rick at WNEW AM from 5pm-8pm. The show was called Sports Connection. Rick and I were the first tandem hosts of a sports talk show, and we had a great time doing it.  We ran sports quizzes on air and conducted interviews that sometimes ran nearly an hour with everyone from Mickey Mantle to Gary Carter – and did it on what in those days was a very buttoned up AM radio. Then WFAN came along in 1987 and offered sports radio pretty much all day, and it was increasingly more difficult to get listeners from the FAN to switch stations at 5pm to listen to our show.  Our show fell victim to the inconvenience of switching stations.

RN: FAN was big and ambitious but had a flawed concept.  They brought in all these national figures to NYC for shows.  They had Greg Gumble and Jim Lampley who were great at what they did, but they were not from NY and NY fans wanted to talk NY sports.  They didn't want to discuss boxing or college sports. Sports is more regional than national.  NYC is a pro-sports city.  Other than St. John's basketball, there was little interest in college sports. People may have forgotten by now, but it took quite a while or the FAN to find its rhythm and connect to the larger sports audience. They brought in Mark Mason as program director to remedy the situation and soon after my show with Rick Cerone ended, he hired me.

CO.  We will talk about WNEW later, but are there any sports stories associated with your time at the pre-eminent rock station on the east coast?

RN:  I can tell you one.  We had a disc jockey, Jonathan Schwartz, who was from Boston.  His shift was from 6-10 pm nightly.  He was a fanatic Red Sox fan.  he worked it out so that he could call into the station that was broadcasting the Red Sox games and would put the game on speakerphone every night while he was doing his music show.  This was before cell phones or MLB network.  These were long distance calls placed on land lines.  I can't imagine what the phone bill was, let alone whether WNEW or Jonathan had to pick it up.

RN:  That was the northeast passion about sports that was at the heart of FAN.  Many of the original voices at the FAN were not from the city.  Ed Coleman and Suzyn Waldman were from Boston,  Steve Somers was from California. All worked hard to get the NY audience and their success at doing so was as much owed to their passion and knowledge, something that NY sports fans have always appreciated, as to anything else.  No one worked harder that Steve Somers did. He scripted every one of his opening monologues, preparing new ones for every show.  

CO. But you were from the New York area as were Mike and the Mad Dog.

NR: Yep, but it was the passion that made the station.  I do have a funny or embarrassing story to tell -- depending on your point of view -- about Chris Russo.  It reveals just how wrong headed someone as experienced as I was could be.  It’s the sort of story that helps to keep me modest.  Mark Mason was the program director at the time and he knew I had been the program director at WNEW.  He would come to me occasionally to solicit my advice about different people he was considering for a position at the FAN.  One day Mark comes to me and tells me that that he’s thinking about hiring this guy, Chris Russo.  Chris was doing a sports show on WMCA at the time. Mark indicates that he is intrigued since Russo seems have something of a buzz about him – getting some attention.   And I go, Oh God, that guy!  First of all, he doesn't know sports. He's yelling and screaming.  That voice is terrible.  I can't imagine anybody tolerating that voice for 4 hours on the radio. So, no, I wouldn't hire him.  And of course, Mark did hire him, and Russo has certainly made me eat my words.

Funny thing; I got along great with Chris right from the start, and still do. No doubt  his style is not my style.  I have to admit that he is very entertaining, and you know, he's the type of guy you want to call and say, hey Chris, you don't know what you're talking about.  And as much as he might disagree with you. he's not going to call you names or treat you with contempt.  He's going to listen to you and then yell and scream that you're wrong while throwing in the occasional 'C'mon, Richard.'

CO:  We will get into your relationship with the Mets in more detail in the next part of our discussion, but for now, one last question.  Do you think that Sports Talk radio has changed the way teams in NY relate to their fan base?

RN:  That's an interesting question. Sports talk radio provides an opportunity for the fans to express their views about how they are performing, being managed, spending their money and treating their fans.  The talk shows function as messengers.  You know you don't shoot the messenger.  And by and large the teams are very accommodating when it comes to the talk shows.  They make their players available for interviews and regular spots.  When the FAN carried the Mets games they were extremely accommodating.  It's not that they are less accommodating now, but it's natural that now the Yankees are more accommodating since the FAN carries the Yankee games. 

The key thing is that the hosts on the FAN were as objective in their treatment of different teams as any I have known or heard.  I think this is generally true of professional sports broadcasters.  There was a kind of mutual respect. The teams did very little to try to influence the approach anyone took to them – critical or otherwise. We were blessed with two excellent program directors in Mason and Mark Chernoff, both of whom took a hands-off approach to what we said on air.

Officials from the local teams invariably say that they don't listen to the shows and don't pay attention to the discussions hosts have with the fans.  Players may not listen, but they learn what is being said about them.  It’s New York.  Whether or not they listen, they certainly know what the fans think.  And they are responsive.  They are all trying to be more accommodating and trying to make the experience better for the fans.  And in their own way, they feel for the fans who suffer through defeat and are happy when they can produce a winning team.

But some owners pay more attention to what the fans think than do others.  Steve Cohen and Woody Johnson represent two different ends of the spectrum.  You would never know it from the performance of the team but Woody Johnson is probably too aware of what fans think and is too influenced by it.  He also doesn't seem to have a plan that he follows that would allow him to listen but ultimately ignore what the fans clamor for.  Steve Cohen is the opposite.  

The fan base, me included, did not want to see Pete Alonso go in free agency.   Cohen knew that, and to be honest, he probably didn’t want Alonso to leave either.  But Cohen has succeeded in business by being disciplined.  He hired a General Manager who had put his faith in and whose judgment he was committed to following.  You don’t hire someone because you believe in their ability to construct a winning team only to interfere with their ability to do so, even when your heart is hurting.  That discipline allowed him to hear the voices telling him to rescue Alonso from Stearns’ plans, voices he was probably very sympathetic to, and then, nevertheless, to allow Stearns to construct the team as he sees fit. It doesn't mean he wanted to see Pete go or that he wasn't upset when he left.  It just means that he has invested in Stearns to make those decisions and he stood by that plan.  

Yes, the existence of Sports Talk radio has allowed the fans voices to be heard, and ownership has listened, but not necessarily followed.  For the local teams to be meaningful in the fans’ lives there has to be a sustainable connection, and as someone who has spent the better part of two decades as a sports show host, it feels good to know that we have helped create that bond – through good times and bad, though for our beloved Mets, more bad times than good ones.

MACK - Top 28 Prospects - #4 - SS - Elian Pena

 

The excitement about the Mets' prospect pipeline has been building year over year as the team improves their domestic and international scouting.  Many of the Mets' picks are being discussed throughout baseball, so Mack has boiled it down to the top 28 to give the readers a glimpse into the team's future.  This series will run for 28 days, counting down from #28 to #1.  The entire list can be viewed by clicking "2026 Top 28 Prospects" on the top menu bar.

4.     Elian Pena

GROK -

Elian Peña is a 17-year-old shortstop (born October 19, 2007, in Azua, Dominican Republic.

He's a left-handed batter and right-handed thrower, listed at 5'10" and 180 pounds, and is widely regarded as one of the Mets' top prospects following a blockbuster international signing.

On January 15, 2025—the opening day of the international signing period—Peña signed with the Mets for a record-breaking $5 million bonus, the largest ever given by the franchise to an international free agent (shattering the previous high of $2.85 million to Yovanny Rodriguez in 2024). This was the highest bonus for any Latin American prospect in the 2025 class and the second-highest overall (behind Rōki Sasaki's $6.5 million with the Dodgers). It consumed most of the Mets' $6.26 million international bonus pool.

Peña, who trained with La Alianza academy in the Dominican Republic, was ranked as MLB Pipeline's No. 3 international prospect (behind Sasaki and Josuar De Jesus Gonzalez) and Baseball America's No. 2 (behind Sasaki).

David Stearns called him a "unique talent" with a left-handed swing, power, strike-zone awareness, and work ethic, noting he's already one of the top prospects on the island.

Peña is praised as a potential five-tool player with elite hitting ability for his age.

Hit tool: Plus-to-plus-plus bat speed, advanced plate discipline (rare for a teenager), excellent pitch recognition, and the ability to spray line drives to all fields. MLB Pipeline gave him a 65-grade hit tool.

Power: Projects for 25-30 HR potential as he adds strength to his lean, athletic frame (still growing physically).

Defense: Smooth actions at shortstop with soft hands, plus arm strength, good range, and instincts. He's expected to stick at SS long-term, though some project a future move to 3B or 2B for less demand on speed (which is average but playable).

Speed/Running: Above-average underway, 21 stolen bases in pro debut.

Overall: Baseball America grades him 55/Extreme risk, with high baseball IQ and leadership potential

2025 Performance (Pro Debut)

Assigned to the Dominican Summer League (DSL) Mets Orange (rookie level), Peña had a standout season despite starting 0-for-26:In ~55 games: .292/.423/.540 (.949 OPS), 9 HR (six in just two games—two separate three-HR games, making him one of only two pros in 2025 with multiple three-HR performances), 33 RBI, 46 runs, 35 walks, 21 SB (on 25 attempts).

ETA:      Around 2030, given his youth. Likely starts 2026 in the Florida Complex League (stateside rookie ball), with potential for quick rises if he dominates.

 

11-3-2025

Angry Mike/MM

Elian Pena was the most highly touted prospect the Mets have ever signed from an International free agent standpoint and even from a MLB Draft standpoint. His $5 Million signing bonus was almost twice as much as the previous club record ($2.85 Million - Yovanny Rodriguez) and close to matching Kevin Parada’s record signing bonus from the 2022 Draft. Needless to say expectations were massive for the young phenom, who many scouts deemed as one of the most polished and talented prospects they’ve ever seen.

Scouts compared him to Juan Soto because of his advanced pitch recognition, plus bat to bat skills, and burgeoning power potential. Scouts raved about his work ethic and high baseball I.Q., which is about as rare for a prospect his age, as was the 65 scouting grade he received for his “Hit Tool”. Only 1 other teenager received a 65 scouting grade for his “Hit Tool” (TerMarr Johnson - 70 Grade - 2022 MLB Draft) out of the thousands of prospects entering the professional ranks as free agents or via the MLB Draft.

Vlad Guerrero Jr, Juan Soto, Fernando Tatis Jr., Wander Franco, and Julio Rodriguez rank among the teenaged greatest prospects ever to be procured from the South American talent pool, and not a single one received a unanimous 65 scouting grade for their “Hit Tool”, Elian Pena was the first prospect ever to receive that distinction.

 

11-7-2025

Just Baseball

11. Elian Peña – SS – (DSL)

Height/Weight: 5’10″, 185 | Bat/Throw: L/R | IFA: $5M, 2025 (NYM) | ETA: 2029

The centerpiece of the Mets 2025 IFA cycle, Peña accounted for more than 80% of the Mets bonus pool, selling David Stearns and co. on his above average tools across the board and advanced left-handed stroke.

After an 0-for-26 start to his pro career, Peña OPS’d north of 1.000 the rest of the way, launching nine homers and walking more than he struck out, generating plenty of buzz heading into his 2026 season.

Hitting

Peña syncs his upper and lower half well for a teenage prospect, helping him repeat his moves and create leverage. He starts upright with his hands rested just above his shoulder, getting into his back side with a moderate gather and smooth, rhythmic hand load.

Of course, it’s more difficult to maintain rhythm against more challenging pitching, but Peña has better control of his timing and mechanics than most hitters his age. As a result, he is able to pull the ball in the air at a high clip, translating into nine homers and 23 extra base hits over his final 44 games of the 2025 season with a 35% ground ball rate.

Peña recognized spin well in the DSL, walking more than he struck out while producing strong numbers in left on left matchups. It’s early in his development, but Peña’s 2025 campaign made it easy to see why he was the crown jewel of the Mets IFA class.

Defense/Speed

An above-average runner, Peña made gains with his straight-line speed and overall quickness, helping his chances of being able to fend off a move to third base. How Peña progresses physically will play a large part in his defensive outcome. His plus arm and good hands would profile well at third base if he does slow a bit.

Outlook

Steve Cohen and David Stearns have made it a point to improve the organization’s ability to acquire international talent and made the biggest splash of the 2025 period outside of Roki Sasaki. The Mets will give Peña every opportunity at shortstop, where he has enough going for him to have a chance at sticking.

In the more likely event that he moves over to the hot corner, Peña’s offensive upside is exciting enough to meet the higher offensive bar the position demands and then some. His advanced blend of hit, power and plate discipline in the DSL should ease his transition stateside in 2026 with a chance to hit his way off of the Complex to Low-A quickly in his age 18 season.

 

11-17-2025 –

Running From The OPS      @OPS_BASEBALL

Elian Pena - New York Mets

Pena received the largest bonus ($5 million) for any Latin American prospect this season and showed exactly why. The 18-year-old posted a 144 wRC+ with 9 HR, 21 SB, and a 1:1 K/BB ratio. He had 2 3-HR games this season and has a fantastic toolset.

 

11-22-2025 –

MACK/MM

Elian Pena – Here he is. The 65-grade hitting tool-guy that signed in January 2025 for $5,000,000 (team total pool: $6.25mil) got off to a real, slow start this past season for the DSL Mets. Opened up 0-26. Send the check back! And then all the hype turned into reality. Finished the season at 9-HR, 33-RBI, 21-SB, .292/.421/.528/.949. It seems like there is nothing but up for this kid that will play 2016 as an 18-yr. old. 

There’s no reason to push him to St. Lucie on opening day. Jiminez is there. But, there is an outside chance he could. He definitely will finish there. My guess is he is FCL Mets bound for their opening day. Where is he going? I got people down there. They say they have never before seen someone this talented. They emphasized the word NEVER.

 

12-5-2025 

Angry Mike/MM

ELIAN PENA -> Stateside arrival, all eyes will be on the young phenom to see if he can build on his impressive pro debut.

-> Where will he start? Will he be fast-tracked like Jett Williams, if he hits the ground running?

Ernest Dove - My #21 Prospect: OF Eli Serrano

Outfielder Eli Serrano III lands at No. 21 on my New York Mets Top 30 Prospects countdown, bringing an intriguing mix of size, plate discipline and developing power to the organization’s farm system.

Serrano, who will be 23 for most of the 2026 season, was selected by the Mets in the fourth round of the 2024 MLB Draft during the early stages of the front office led by president of baseball operations David Stearns.

Although his early professional numbers have been modest, evaluators still see a player with a wide range of possible outcomes — from a platoon bat to a potential 20-plus home run hitter if his power fully develops.

Early pro numbers still developing, and Serrano’s professional sample size remains relatively small.

After appearing in just 17 games during his draft year in 2024, Serrano played 88 games in 2025 with the High-A affiliate Brooklyn Cyclones.  Across that stretch, the left-handed hitter posted a .222/.332/.358 slash line with a .690 OPS.

The offensive numbers don’t jump off the page, but context matters. Brooklyn’s home ballpark is widely considered pitcher-friendly, particularly for left-handed hitters due to heavy winds and spacious dimensions.

Plate discipline stands out

Despite the modest production, Serrano’s approach at the plate has drawn praise from evaluators.

Publications such as Baseball America have noted his ability to stay within the strike zone and avoid expanding at pitches outside of it. That disciplined approach gives him a foundation that could allow him to develop into an average or better hitter at the major league level.

The advanced strike-zone awareness also raises the possibility that Serrano could become a strong on-base percentage contributor as he climbs the system.

Power potential and physical tools

At roughly 6-foot-5, Serrano possesses a physically imposing frame that scouts believe could translate into significant power as he continues to mature.

Several evaluators believe the left-handed bat has the potential to develop into a 20-plus home run hitter if his power fully emerges at the upper levels of the minors.

Serrano also shows solid athleticism for his size. He has spent time in center field and has the range to handle the position, though his long-term fit could ultimately shift to a corner outfield spot where his size and power profile may play better.

Platoon questions remain

One area to monitor moving forward is Serrano’s performance against left-handed pitching.

During the 2025 season, he posted a .733 OPS against right-handed pitchers but struggled against lefties with a .569 OPS. That split raises the possibility that he could develop into a platoon bat if the issue persists.

Still, there have been encouraging flashes. Serrano has shown the ability to drive the ball the other way against left-handers, including opposite-field extra-base hits that hint at potential improvement.

2026 could be a pivotal season

Health and opportunity will be key factors for Serrano in 2026.

After playing fewer than 100 games last season, the next step is proving he can stay on the field and produce over a full minor league schedule. A promotion to Double-A would provide a clearer look at his true offensive potential.

Double-A is often considered the “prove-it” level in the minors, where prospects begin facing more advanced pitching and separating themselves from the pack.

If Serrano can translate his plate discipline and physical tools into consistent production, he could quickly rise in the Mets’ system.

For now, he remains an intriguing prospect with a wide developmental range — one whose next season could determine whether he settles in as a role player or emerges as a legitimate power threat in the organization’s outfield pipeline.

If you'd like to see all of my top 30 prospect list ranking player profiles and more, check out The New York Mets Dove Report on YouTube @ernestdove 

Reese Kaplan -- Right Field Continues to Be a Mets Black Hole

While the Mets are actively engaged in the concurrent Spring Training of 2026 while a large passel of players are off on their WBC exhibition games, it gives ample opportunities to those folks remaining in camp to get more innings of playing time in front of David Stearns, Carlos Mendoza and the rest of the team evaluation personnel.  This situation makes for some wild projections of capabilities that have never before been shown in the major leagues while simultaneously asking people to absorb holes in the batting order.  None of it is more clear than in the ongoing battle for right field.

If you take the preseason narrative to heart then Carson Benge is truly being given the chance in Port St. Lucie to play himself onto the Opening Day roster and to become the starting right fielder.  Thus far he’s certainly looked the part both as a solid defensive player and as an offensive threat despite not having done so even as high as the AAA level.  It’s not unknown for players to make the jump from AA dominance to major league opportunity though often it is for matters of roster deficit or injury rather than pure need.  Given the Benge conversion from two-way player to strictly an offensive one he has had rather limited exposure as a hitter with fewer than 500 professional ABs over his two years in the minors.  Some feel he could benefit at least from the first month or two in Syracuse until the weather warmed up and he demonstrated his ability to dominate against the highest minor league pitching before transitioning to the majors.

Therein, of course, lies the problem.  If not Benge then who gets right field?  The next up on most people’s agendas would likely be newly minted outfielder Brett Baty.  Many folks are totally sold on his second half offensive output from 2025 and fully expect he will replicate or even exceed that level of productivity in 2026 and in the future.  Right now as a man without a position he would be guaranteed regular ABs if he was handed the right field responsibilities on a daily basis while Jorge Polanco, Marcus Semien and Bo Bichette deliver on the infield.  Of course, the problem with this approach can best be spelled MARK VIENTOS whose 2024 was even more dominant offensively than Baty was in 2025 but wasn’t able to deliver at that level the following year.  That same doubt is there about Baty as well.

It gets worse.  To read many scribes praise the veteran Mike Tauchman as a viable name to pencil in for the right field duties but going into his age 35 season his defensive skills are at best adequate but not dominant.  He’s never even had 340 ABs in a single season during his entire 8 year major league career.  The statistics nerds at BaseballReference.com project a 162 game output from Tauchman to provide 12 HRs, 56 RBIs and a .246 batting average.  For a frame of reference, Tyrone Taylor projects to provide 14 HRs, 56 RBIs while batting .238 and everyone agrees he is a viable but at best 4th outfielder.  What am I missing here about Tauchman somehow for the first time in his entire career being considered viable for a starting assignment?

Then there is younger and potentially more productive MJ Melendez.  The now former Royal has shown some flashes of the power and defense that made him a highly regarded prospect who never really put it together in his major league level of play.  For his career the now turning 27 year old has delivered not much better.  In 162 games he averages 19 HRs and 61 RBIs which is a bit better but it’s accompanied by a mere .215 batting average.  Is that stellar defense worth that kind of risk or do you believe the Mets’ new offensive coaching development will somehow trigger the better side of Melendez which has never before truly been achieved?

Frankly Carson Benge does look like the best solution as her provides a solid batting average, baserunning speed and adequate power.  His numbers should continue to improve as he gets accustomed to the rigors of being a full time offensive player.  The question is whether he’s the best answer right now or if a temporary placeholder is needed for 6-8 weeks to allow him to develop with less pressure?  Personally I could live with the latter day version of Jeff McNeil, Brett Baty, getting regular assignments in right field rather than turning the assignments over to Tauchman or Melendez, though I’m still open to seeing what kind of outfielders emerge as trade targets as the preseason progresses.  I know, I know...many will say that new Player X would block Carson Benge but do remember that the first base and DH positions remain unresolved, so there would be room for someone new, too.

MACK - Top 28 Prospects - #5 - C - Chris Suero

 

The excitement about the Mets' prospect pipeline has been building year over year as the team improves their domestic and international scouting.  Many of the Mets' picks are being discussed throughout baseball, so Mack has boiled it down to the top 28 to give the readers a glimpse into the team's future.  This series will run for 28 days, counting down from #28 to #1.  The entire list can be viewed by clicking "2026 Top 28 Prospects" on the top menu bar.

5.     Chris Suero

Will play 2026 as a 22/yr. old         also plays 1B & LF

2025 – A+/AA:    475-PA, 139-K, 70-BB, 16-HR, 68-RBI, 35-SB, .786-OPS

GROK -

Chris Suero (full name: Christopher Antonio Suero) is a 21-year-old catcher in the New York Mets' minor league system, known for his rare blend of power, speed, and versatility that makes him one of the more intriguing young backstops in baseball.

Born on January 27, 2004, in the Bronx, New York, Suero grew up in the Sedgwick Houses public housing project in the University Heights neighborhood, honing his skills on the city's gritty fields before pursuing his dream abroad.

At just 15 years old, he left the Bronx for the Dominican Republic, leveraging his Dominican heritage (through his parents) to qualify as an international free agent. He trained at the Academia Carlos Paulino in Nizao, impressing scouts despite not being a top headliner.

In March 2022, the Mets signed him to a modest $10,000 bonus—far below the multimillion-dollar deals for elite international teens—marking him as an undrafted gem rather than a blue-chip prospect.

5'11", 205 lbs; Bats and throws right-handed.

Positions: Primarily a catcher (60 games behind the plate in 2024), but his athleticism allows him to play first base (23 games in 2024), left field (28 games in 2024), and even contribute as a versatile utility player. Scouts compare him to Toronto's Daulton Varsho for his multi-positional upside.

Standout Traits: Suero's speed is elite for a catcher—he led all minor league catchers with 35 stolen bases in 2025 (25 in High-A, 10 across other levels). His swing features simple footwork, a short load, and an uphill path that generates power, though he can struggle with high pitches.

13.6% walk rate in 2024

With Francisco Alvarez entrenched as the Mets' top backstop, Suero adds valuable depth to a catcher-rich farm system. Fans and analysts see him as a "prospect nobody saw coming," with leadership traits already shining through (e.g., hyping teammates in Brooklyn). If he refines his defense and sustains the power-speed combo, a Citi Field homecoming for the Bronx kid isn't far-fetched.

ETA: 2026

MACK – look… I love this guy, but he has to come up with a way to stop trying to be the home run leader, work on the ability to make hits other than homers, and let his God-given strength take over. If he does this, he will hit around .250, smack 20-25 home runs, and make it to The Bigs.

 

10-28-2025

MACK/MM

Chris Suero – The Bronx born Suero put himself on the Mets map last season aster hitting 16 home runs at the A+/AA level. Also, offers tremendous versatility because he additionally holds his own in left and can also, if needed, can fill in at first. I expect him to get to know the city of Syracuse real well in 2026. Needs to work on his framing skills, cutting down the whiffs, and getting his overall BA/OBP up. My #2 catcher prospect.

 

10-28-2025               

STEVE SICA/MM

C/LF Chris Suero:

Suero brought his power to the desert as he’s taken advantage of the thin air Arizona has to offer this time of year. He’s mashed three home runs in his first eight games of the season and leads all Met prospects in OPS at .851. While these numbers might give him a shot to compete in the AFL home run derby around season’s end, Suero has struggled with making contact. His average sits at .242 and his strikeout total is at 16, including a four-strikeout night on Sunday October 26th.

Suero swings hard and when he makes contact the ball does go far. He’s the perfect hitter for the Arizona Fall League as the dry and cool desert air helps balls travel far. However, he’s not able to play all his games in this environment. There’s a lot of potential around Suero as he’s progressed nicely this season through MiLB, but he’ll need to improve his strikeout radio, and start taking a few more pitches to reach the next level.

 

11-2-2025

Who are the next young studs for the Mets?

C Chris Suero (No. 15 prospect, Double-A BNG)

2025 MiLB Totals:

115 G, 475 PA, .233/.379/.407, 88 H, 16 HR, 16 2B, 1 3B, 78 R, 68 RBI, 35 SB, 29.3%-14.7% K-BB%, .175 ISO, .316 BABIP, .375 wOBA, 141 wRC+

Latest Scouting Grades:

Hit: 40   Power:  Run: 60      Arm: 50    Field: 50     Overall: 45

MLB Comp: Daulton Varsho

Suero’s 35 steals last season reflected a near-doubling of his 2024 output (20), which itself was a major explosion from the seven he tallied across his 2022-2023 rookie ball campaigns. When you pair that with steady, year-over-year offensive improvements and legitimate defensive flexibility in the outfield, I don’t think the growing buzz is at all misplaced.

(Seriously, when’s the last time this franchise had a catcher who could hit for power, steal bases, and play the outfield? Have they ever?)

Now, unlike Reimer and Ewing, Suero’s raw hit tool still needs a bit of work. His 139 strikeouts ranked second-most in his group; his 29.3% K-rate was top of the class. He likes to swing, and he swings hard — his tendency to swing over fastballs is documented. 

He also hits the ball on the ground a lot: Suero had the worst line-drive rate among his class, alongside the second-most severe tendency to hit pull-side (55%). That pull power is great if you’re keeping the ball up, but hitting it on the ground to the same spot repeatedly can turn an otherwise dangerous hitter into a predictable one very quickly.

Still, Suero’s ~15% walk rate and 70 walks both ranked seventh in his group, and his HR/FB ratio ranked sixth, so the untapped power and plate discipline tools are clearly there. If he can learn to keep the ball in the air and start spreading it around the field a bit, I have no doubt his already-solid .317 BABIP will skyrocket.

All told, Suero is an incredibly promising prospect with excellent defensive skills to back up a developing bat and quietly freakish athletic tools. Looking at the numbers, he already seems to be the most complete catching prospect in the Mets’ system. It feels like we’ve barely started to scratch the surface with this guy, and I don’t doubt he’ll be sharing the MLB spotlight with Alvy before we know it.

 

11-7-2025

JUST BASEBALL

15. Chris Suero – C/1B/OF – (Double-A)

Height/Weight: 6’0″, 200 | Bat/Throw: R/R | IFA: $10,000, 2022 (NYM) | ETA: 2026

A unique profile, Suero continues to see action behind the dish, in the outfield and at first base. He’s a plus runner with a good arm, inspiring the Mets to continue to move him around the diamond. He made a leap in the power department in 2025, launching 19 homers between High-A and Double-A with a career-best 35 stolen bases as well.

He is pull-happy, but successfully pulls the ball in the air at a high clip with above average exit velocities. Higher end pitching velocity could make Suero looked rushed at times, hedging with the ability to hammer mistakes far more consistently, OPSing north of 1.000 vs sliders.

While the hit tool will likely be fringy at best, his unique skill set could position him like a more athletic David Fry. His plus wheels, above average pop and defensive versatility helps his chances of sticking on a roster.

 

11-8-2025

Tom Brennan/MM

15. C/1B/OF Chris Suero

Bronx-born Suero has almost the whole package:

He has speed, power, clutch hitting, and versatility including catching, but capable in the outfield and first base, too.. Can he hit high caliber pitching? Probably eventually well enough. 

But his Ks are high, and lefties so far have mystified him.  In 2025, between High A and AA, he hit .233 with 16 HRs and 68 RBIs in 475 PAs AND stole 35 bases. But he fanned 139 times, and that has to come way down. Of course, he was just 21 this season, and clearly on the learning curve. 

He walked at a very high rate (70 times), giving him a .379 OBP, and I think that my prescription of greater aggression on strike one may lower the K rate somewhat, but will help drive down the Ks. Get those Ks down, and he is Top 5.

At 5’11, 205, he seems to be built much like a former Met:

Yoenis Cespedes. 

SUERO. He has such a high ceiling, if those Ks can only COME DOWN.

ATHLETE!

In the Arizona Fall League, Suero, through Thursday November 6, was hitting a potent .286/.359/.571, and was 2nd in AFL HRs with 5 bombs in 14 games, with 14 RBIs and 7 for 7 in steals.  Dynamite!

 

11-13-2025 –

 @The_CallUpPod

Chris Suero has continued his great 2025 season in the Arizona Fall League!

.920 OPS

5 HR

14 RBI

The 21-year-old catcher is one of only three players in the league to reach the five home run mark 

 

12-1-2025

Paul/MM

Chris Suero, a talented prospect with more to offer than just a third backup catcher option.  You see, he is not the typical catching prospect.  He has defensive versatility and un-catcher-like speed.  Suero can play left field and he can play first base. Not only that, but his scouting grades show plenty of talent in all five tools:

Suero Scouting Grades: Hit: 40; Power: 50; Run: 60; Arm: 50; Field: 50

Suero was an international signing in 2022 when he was only 18 years old.  He spent two years in the Dominican Republic and Florida complex leagues, then moved to St. Lucie in 2024.  After he compiled a 141 wRC+ there, he was moved to Brooklyn where he finished the season.  He was then invited to the prestigious Arizona Fall League, where he continued on his tear, slashing .283/.353/.567 (.920 OPS).  He also stole 8 bases in 15 games. Suero is currently listed as the #15 prospect in the Mets system.

Let’s be clear – I am not stating that he is ready for the majors in 2026, but I fully expect him to make the AA roster to start the season and if he handles that level of pitching he will see his trajectory continue to climb.  I am not trying to jump over Parada yet, but Parada does not appear to be moving smoothly through the AA/AAA levels.  His arm has been exposed as a weakness and except for a few surges his bat has been a disappointment.

If Suero survives the AA/AAA gauntlet better than Parada, he could become an option for a MLB roster as early as 2027.  That would provide a bench option for 1B/LF/C/DH/PH that uses only one spot on the 26-man roster, which is something that not many MLB teams have at their disposal.  We can only dream....

 

12-6-2025 –

Angry Mike/MM

CHRIS SUERO -> Dude has become a folk-hero of sorts in the #Mets Farm  System. All he does is mash homers or walk & then steal bases. Possesses a rare skill-set for a catcher, he’ll start in AA, & spend the whole year there.

-> If Suero starts off hot, will he be fast-tracked to AAA, or is he on the Mauricio trajectory, where he’ll now move 1 level each season regardless of how he performs. Or do we get him to AAA as fast as possible anticipating a potential arrival in Queens for 2027, with Torrens most likely departing via FA?