Four Mets Outfield Prospects That Could Debut in 2026
The Mets have left flexibility for their prospects to earn at-bats in the majors in 2026, and here we will dive into four Mets prospects who could debut in 2026.
Carson Benge. Photo by Kylie Richelle/Syracuse Mets
Carson Benge
2025 minor league stats: 519 PA, .281/.385/.472/.857, 15 HRs, 73 RBIs, 22 SBs
Carson Benge is the clear starting point here, as president of baseball operations David Stearns has repeatedly said he will have the opportunity to make the opening day roster out of spring training. Benge was David Stearns’ first draft pick with the Mets, and he has the opportunity to be the first pick to debut as well. Benge has the potential to be a five-tool all-star in the majors for many years to come.
While his Triple-A results were underwhelming over 103 plate appearances—including missing time after being hit on the hand—his underlying metrics remained elite. His strong contact rates, exit velocities, barrel rates, and swing decisions suggest the poor results could be simply just noise and bad batted ball luck. ESPN comped him to Brandon Nimmo and Jarren Duran as a five-tool center fielder, but with the recent trade for Luis Robert Jr., he will likely play left field in 2026. Benge is reportedly already in Port St. Lucie working to earn a spot on the opening day roster. Benge is a prospect promotion incentive eligible, requiring 172 days on the major league roster in 2026 to maintain that eligibility.
Nick Morabito
2025 minor league stats: 492 PA, .273/.348/.385/.734, 6 HRs, 59 RBIs, 49 SBs
Nick Morabito earned a spot on the 40-man roster after a strong showing in the Arizona Fall League, slashing .362/.450/.464/.914 across 80 PA. Morabito’s speed helps him outrun mistakes in the outfield as he continues to refine his reads and routes. He does not project to have the center field defense or power to be a starting center fielder in the majors, but he is fully capable of playing all three outfield positions off the bench.
At the plate, Morabito does many things well but does not possess any true carrying tools. He is a spray hitter with solid plate discipline but he hits the ball into the ground too often. His power output will be well below-average, but he can compensate some by utilizing his speed on the base paths. Time at Triple-A will help him continue honing his speed and defense, which could become carrying tools, though his profile projects as a fourth outfielder type at the major league level rather than an everyday player. With Tyrone Taylor a year away from free agency, Nick Morabito could slot in as his replacement.
Ryan Clifford
2025 minor league stats: 579 PA, .237/.356/.470/.826, 29 HRs, 93 RBIs, 7 SBs
Ryan Clifford had a bounce-back 2025 season after struggling with contact in 2024, with his contact rates jumping back to around where they were when the Mets acquired him from the Houston Astros in 2023. He underwent an eye procedure which helped him to better see the ball. The North Carolina native relies on his upper body strength, and he may have the best pure power in the club’s farm system. While concern that he could be a three-true-outcomes player has not completely disappeared, he looks like a much more complete hitter after 2025, profiling as a power-hitting first baseman with outfield flex, a patient approach, and a plus arm. There are some concerns that he can be too passive at the plate and that he does not pull the ball enough, but he takes his walks and has plus power.
Clifford split time between first base and the corner outfield in the minors. Despite his size, he is an average runner and his plus arm helps to make up for balls he is not able to get to quickly. He is knocking on the door of being a potential 30-homer hitter at the top level, though he does have some platoon concern against left-handed pitching.
A.J. Ewing
2025 minor league stats: 564 PA, .315/.401/.429/.830, 3 HRs, 55 RBIs, 70 SBs
A.J. Ewing has become one of the Mets’ hottest helium prospects in their farm system after a breakout 2025 season. Initially drafted as a shortstop, he profiles as an above-average second baseman alongside his plus defense in center field. He is a plus-plus runner in center field who has power upside, and his pull and lift numbers indicate a spike in power could be coming soon. His plus-plus speed helps him cover a lot of ground, and he has an above-average arm.
Even if the power doesn’t materialize, he profiles as a potential future impact major leaguer because of defense and speed, with above-average to plus contact rates and pitch selections. Ewing makes some of the best swing decisions of any player in the minors, and his swing is optimized to spray line drives throughout the field, with his zone contact rates skyrocketing in 2025. He stole 70 bases in the minors in 2025 and has solid exit velocities, though his extreme hit-over-power and line-drive heavy approach has limited his power output so far, despite exit velocities that are better than one may expect.
Ewing ended the year logging 28 games in Double-A, and if he earns an early promotion to Triple-A, he would be only a phone call away for the 2026 season. Ewing is prospect promotion eligible heading into 2026.
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