Carson Benge to Join Rare Mets Opening Day Debut List

Assuming he is starting in right field opening day, Carson Benge will be the first Mets player since Pete Alonso  in 2019 to make his major league debut in Opening Day starting lineup. He will be only the eighth Mets position player ever to achieve this honor (Pete Alonso was the seventh per his bio on MLB.com), and Mets fans should be excited for what Benge could bring to this 2026 Mets team.

He forced his way onto the Opening Day roster by doing everything the Mets hoped he would in spring training. He played stellar defense, showed power across live games, batting practice and simulated games, and slashed .366/.435/.439/.874. Even before the injury to Mike Tauchman, NY Post writer Joel Sherman had reported that Benge was expected to make the Opening Day roster. Benge was given an opportunity going into spring training to win the spot, and he lived up to the task.

Carson Benge is one of the best prospects in baseball, ranking from No. 10 on Baseball Prospectus to No. 21 on Fangraphs. But he will be a rookie, and there may be some growing pains. While a Rookie of the Year win would be amazing, and would win the Mets a draft pick through the prospect promotion eligibility system, even a 2 WAR player with an above average WRC+ would be a success for his first year in the majors.

Benge’s 50th percentile projections, logged on Fangraphs, range from a .725 OPS (106 WRC+) per ZIPS to a .679 OPS (93 WRC+) per THE BATX. A players 50th percentile is the median of all of a players range of projections. Baseball Prospectus‘s projection system PECOTA lays out this range of scenarios. Per PECOTA, Benge’s 2026 99th percentile outcome is projected at a .268/.350/.485/.835 slash and his 1st percentile as a .209/.273/.319/.592 slash. Suffice to say, when it comes to a rookie, the range of outcomes is wide.

So who are other seven Mets Carson Benge will be joining who have debuted in the opening day starting lineup?

Pete Alonso—2019

Pete Alonso is holder one of the most impressive rookie seasons ever. He forced his way onto the opening day roster and put up a ROTY campaign slashing .260/.358/.583/.941 with a record 53 home runs as a rookie. At the time of writing he is still the rookie home run record holder and now owns the Mets’ all-time home run record.

Brad Emaus—2011

Brad Emaus‘s time in the majors was short, only lasting 14 total games and slashing .162/.262/.162/.424. He was a Rule 5 Draft selection and won the opening day second base job out of spring training, but he was designated for assignment on April 19.

Kazuo Matsui—2004

You can debate whether or not Kazuo Matsui counts as he was a star NPB player the Mets signed in free agency. But he did make his debut Opening Day, hitting a home run in his first at bat and then slashed .272/.331/.396/.727 with seven home runs across 114 games as a rookie.

Rey Ordóñez—1996

When he debuted, Rey Ordóñez was ranked the 17th overall prospect in baseball, per Baseball America, but his rookie season was not his strongest. He slashed .257/.289/.303/.592 with only one home run in 151 games. His elite defense kept in on the field, as it would for the remainder of his Mets tenure.

Kelvin Chapman—1979

Kelvin Chapman began the season as the Mets Opening Day second baseman and slashed .150/.198/.213/.410. He won the job off a strong spring training, but was demoted to Triple-A in May, and returned in September after the minor league season concluded.

Rod Gaspar—1969

Rod Gaspar started the year as the Opening Day right fielder of the Miracle Mets, playing in 118 games slashing .228/.313/.279/.512 with one home run. As the season progressed his plus defense kept him on the roster and he moved into more of a utility role. He played in three of the World Series games but did not record a hit.

Al Moran—1963

Al Moran was the opening day shortstop for the 1963 Mets and in 119 games slashed .193/.274/.230./.503. He would only play in two seasons in the majors, and is the only name on this list to make their debut in the Polo Grounds.

Conclusion

Even top prospects like Rey Ordóñez or established veterans from other leagues like Kaz Matsui can start slow in the major league careers, but rookies can have breakout seasons like Pete Alonso’s rookie season. Over the last decade the league average from a rookie season has ranged from a .665 OPS to a .718 OPS. As a top prospect you would expect Benge to perform above the average rookie, but the jump to the major leagues is still a big one.

Regardless of the season outcome, being only the eighth player in Mets history to debut in the teams Opening Day lineup would be an accomplishment on its own.

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