Spring Training isn’t just about watching the stars get their work in. For me, the real fun is looking at the guys fighting for a spot or the future stars getting their first taste of the big leagues. The New York Mets released their list of non-roster invitees, and honestly, this group is deeper than usual. We aren’t just looking at roster filler here. We have legitimate top prospects, former All-Stars trying to hang on, and some analytics darlings who could help the bullpen in a big way.

I went through the list and dug into the numbers to see who actually brings the most excitement to Port St. Lucie. Here is how I rank the top 10 non-roster invitees you need to watch.

The Depth Pieces with Upside

10. Cristian Pache

Cristian Pache is in camp for one reason, he is a great defensive center fielder. The bat has never really come around at the major league level. He hit just .200 across three teams last year with a 35% strikeout rate, and he holds a career .181 average. His wRC+ sat at a meager 56 in 2024, so the offense is still a major question mark.

He is likely battling for a role as a late-inning defensive replacement. If he can just hit enough to not be a liability, his defense makes him valuable. But realistically, you are watching him to see him run down balls in the gap, not to see him hit homers.

9. Mike Baumann

Mike Baumann might have the wildest recent track record of anyone in camp. After pitching for five different MLB teams in 2024, he spent last season in Japan with the Yakult Swallows. The numbers from his time overseas tell you exactly who he is right now: electric stuff with zero idea where it’s going.

In his 15 innings in the NPB last year, he struck out over 11 batters per nine innings, but he also walked over 7 per nine. You just can’t survive with that many free passes. But the raw talent is still obvious. He sits 96-97 mph with the fastball, and when he’s in the zone, he misses bats. He is the ultimate “fix-it” project for the pitching coaches. If they can just get him to throw strikes, he has the power to be a real bullpen piece.

8. Adbert Alzolay

Adbert Alzolay is a clever stash by the Mets front office, even if we might not see him pitch much this spring. If you look at his 2023 numbers, the upside is massive. He saved 22 games for the Cubs with a 2.67 ERA and incredible control, walking just 13 batters in 64 innings.

But then 2024 happened. He clearly wasn’t right, and the numbers show it. In just 18 games, his ERA jumped to 4.67 and he was serving up home runs at an alarming rate, over 3 per nine innings. The strikeouts also vanished, dropping from nearly 27% in 2023 to just 17% last year. He is recovering from surgery now, but that 2023 version is what the Mets are betting on. If he can get back to suppressing homers and locating that slider, this is a steal for the future.

7. Nate Lavender

Nate Lavender is a fan favorite who is finally returning to the Mets organization after a long road back. The stats page shows just how much time he’s missed, he only threw 7 innings in 2024 and missed all of 2025. But if you look back at his last healthy season in 2023, the numbers were ridiculous.

He posted a massive 14.25 K/9 across Double-A and Triple-A that year. We are talking about a guy who struck out nearly 37% of the batters he faced. He has that deceptive lefty delivery that just baffles hitters. Since he has barely pitched in two years, we don’t know exactly what the velocity will look like, but if he is anywhere near his 2023 form, he is a legitimate weapon against left-handed hitting.

6. Ji Hwan Bae

Ji Hwan Bae gives the Mets a speed-and-defense option, but he has a lot to prove with the bat. His major league playing time has evaporated over the last two years, dropping to just 13 games with the Pirates in 2025. In that brief look, he struggled mightily, managing just one hit and batting .050.

But here is why he is still exciting: the speed never slumps. Even in that disastrous short stint, he swiped 4 bases. If you extrapolate that, he is a menace on the basepaths. He offers elite sprint speed and versatility, making him a perfect 26th man candidate if an injury pops up. He won’t hit for power, and he needs to get on base more, but if he gets aboard, he creates instant chaos.

The Redemption Candidates

5. Craig Kimbrel

Craig Kimbrel signing a minor league deal with the Mets is one of the weirdest and most intriguing storylines of the spring. We are talking about a guy with 440 career saves, but his recent path has been rocky. He barely pitched in 2025, tossing just 12 innings across two teams, which explains why he’s fighting for a spot rather than closing games.

But here is the thing: even in that limited action, he struck out 17 batters. That is a 12.75 K/9 rate. The walks are still scary, he walked over 5 batters per nine innings last year, but the ability to miss bats hasn’t gone anywhere. If he has anything left in the tank, he instantly becomes a high-leverage option. It is a zero-risk move with a massive reward if he can just find the strike zone.

4. Kevin Parada

Kevin Parada is entering a make-or-break year, and his 2025 season shows exactly why. He actually looked pretty good in Double-A last year, posting a solid 121 wRC+ and showing he could handle that level of pitching. The problem is what happened when he got promoted.

In his 16 games at Triple-A Syracuse, he hit a wall, batting just .196 with a measly .567 OPS. The 55-grade power is still in there, he hit 11 homers across both levels, but the consistency just vanishes against advanced arms. He needs to show up to camp and prove that his Triple-A struggles were just a small sample size fluke, not his ceiling. If he can smooth out the swing, he is still a top talent, but the clock is ticking.

The Future Cornerstones

3. A.J. Ewing

A.J. Ewing might be the biggest breakout prospect for the Mets over the last year. He flew through the system in 2025, playing at three different levels and dominating every single one. He finished the year with a .315 average and a ridiculous .401 on-base percentage.

But the real story is his speed. He stole 70 bases last year. You read that right, 70. He isn’t just fast, he is an absolute menace on the basepaths. He also showed he can handle better pitching, actually hitting .339 after getting promoted to Double-A Binghamton. He brings the kind of energy and on-base skills that this organization loves, and I can’t wait to see him run wild in Spring Training.

2. Ryan Clifford

Ryan Clifford brings a kind of raw power to the Mets organization that you just can’t teach. In 2025, he crushed a massive 29 home runs across Double-A and Triple-A, proving that his pop plays everywhere.

He spent most of the year in Binghamton posting an .848 OPS, but the most encouraging part is actually his plate discipline. Unlike a lot of young sluggers who get exposed at higher levels, Clifford held his own in Triple-A. In his 34 games there, he walked over 15% of the time and kept his strikeout rate under 25%. He isn’t just swinging for the fences; he is hunting his pitch. I want to see if that advanced approach holds up against MLB arms, because if it does, that bat is ready.

1. Carson Benge

Carson Benge is easily the most exciting prospect the New York Mets have in camp this year. When you look at what he did across three levels in 2025, the ceiling is obvious. He absolutely torched High-A and Double-A, posting a ridiculous 184 wRC+ and a .978 OPS in Binghamton.

What stands out most is the plate discipline he showed at that level. In Double-A, he struck out just 15.9% of the time while walking 12.4% of the time. You rarely see a guy that young control the zone so well. He did hit a speed bump when he got promoted to Triple-A Syracuse, hitting just .178 with a 53 wRC+ in 24 games, but that is to be expected. I want to see if he can take the lessons from those struggles and apply them against big-league arms this spring.

Ultimately, this isn’t just a list of bodies to eat up innings in March. The New York Mets have brought in a fascinating mix of legitimate top-tier prospects and veterans who still have something to prove. Whether you are tuning in to see Carson Benge’s future potential or just want to see if Craig Kimbrel can strike out the side one more time, there are plenty of reasons to watch the late innings of these Spring Training games. A few of these guys are going to help the big league club in 2026, and the battle for those spots starts right now.