Andres Chavez
The New York Mets finally stopped dancing around the center field issue when they went out and traded for Luis Robert Jr. this winter. Shipping away Luisangel Acuña wasn’t cheap, but it sent a clear message that the front office is tired of “serviceable” options.
With Robert locked into center and Juan Soto sliding over to left, the blueprints for a championship-caliber outfield are nearly finished. Only one problem remains. There is a massive, gaping hole in right field, and the competition to fill it has turned into an absolute street fight in Port St. Lucie. As Robert Colonna of MetsMerized Online observes, the position is still up for grabs.
Competition is supposed to breed excellence, but this feels more like a fever dream. Every single person David Stearns invited to camp decided to start hitting like Ted Williams at the exact same time. It makes for great headlines, but it makes manager Carlos Mendoza’s life a living hell. How do you tell a guy hitting .600 that he’s starting the year in Syracuse?
The Prospect Versus the Pedigree
Carson Benge is the name everyone wants to see on that Opening Day lineup card. He was a monster in the minors last year, putting up a 150 wRC+ and showing the kind of power-speed combo that makes scouts drool. The Mets clearly want him to seize this job.
He is hitting .350 this spring, which looks great on a cocktail napkin, but the deeper numbers tell a slightly different story. A .731 OPS with zero extra-base hits in Grapefruit League action suggests he might still be adjusting to the professional jump. He has the highest ceiling of the bunch, but is he ready for the bright lights of Citi Field in April?
Then you have the wild cards. MJ Melendez is currently swinging a mallet, boasting a 1.364 OPS with two moonshots already. He has always had the raw power, but consistency has been his ghost. If he has actually found a way to stop chasing pitches in the dirt, he becomes a terrifying presence in the bottom half of the order.
The Survival of the Journeymen
We cannot ignore the veterans who refuse to go away quietly. Mike Tauchman and Cristian Pache are playing like men possessed. Tauchman, brought in on a minor league deal, is rocking a 1.442 OPS. He brings that annoying, gritty approach that pitchers hate, working counts and refusing to give away an at-bat.
Pache is even more ridiculous, hitting over .563 with a 1.486 OPS through his first handful of games. We know Pache can play Gold Glove-caliber defense in his sleep. If he suddenly discovered how to hit, the Mets might have accidentally stumbled onto a legit contributor.
Tyrone Taylor and Brett Baty are the safety nets. They have their roster spots locked down, but their versatility makes them dangerous threats to the starting right field gig. Baty is hitting .400 and trying to prove he can play anywhere Mendoza puts him. Taylor is the defensive specialist who just happened to find his power stroke, sporting a 1.027 OPS. Even the kid AJ Ewing is making noise with a .996 OPS and a hunger for stolen bases.
This isn’t just a spring training battle; it is a full-blown identity crisis for the Mets’ bench. You have six guys playing well enough to start for half the teams in the league.
David Stearns loves his depth, but at some point, he has to make a choice. Does he go with the future in Benge, the power in Melendez, or the hot hand in Pache? Whatever the choice, the Mets are in the rare position of having too many right answers.
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