SNY contributor Joe DeMayo answers fan questions in this edition of Dishes Minor League Mailbag…
East Carson Benge a legitimate central defender? This appears to be the only outfield available for a while – @MrFloridaDobbie
I recently wrote about the impact signature Juan Soto reportedly on Mets prospects. Benge may not be on the brink of the big leagues as he is a 2024 first-round pick, but he has a chance to move up quickly.
After the 2024 MLB Draft, Mets VP of Amateur Scouting Kris Gross told SNY The Mets pod that they intend to send Benge out as a center fielder to begin his professional career despite spending most of his time at Oklahoma State in right field.
Before the draft, when talking to scouts about Benge, most thought his future in pro ball was in right field. He is an average athlete who has a true throwing arm. He won the John Olerud Award as college baseball’s best two-way player in 2024, hitting up to 96 mph from the mound. The Mets will use Benge exclusively as a pinch hitter.
When drafting Benge, the Mets were acquiring an advanced hitter who possesses above-average bat-ball skills, raw power and plate discipline. His center field defense will be something I watch closely as he enters his first full professional season, likely starting with High-A Brooklyn.
I’m not ruling out center field being his long-term home, but before the draft it wasn’t something I heard that scouts thought would be the most likely outcome.
Who do you think is the prospect most likely to get playing time at second base on the big league roster this season – @BaseballAF2
I’ll cover some of these options, but let’s remember that Jeff McNeil is still there. And before he got hurt in early September, he had a slash line of .276/.347/.526 in July and August. He is currently the starter and is expected to begin spring training as the likely starter at second base.
That said, if McNeil gets off to a slow start again, the Mets have some young options who can step in and play. The most likely option would be Luisangel Acuñawho, despite an eventful Triple-A season, seemed to shine when the lights were brightest – literally and figuratively – at the major league level.
He stepped up when the Mets needed him in September, and he had a solid offseason in the Venezuelan Winter League, where he posted a .914 OPS with three home runs and 18 stolen bases in 32 games.
Defensively, he could become an exciting double play partner for Francisco Lindor.
To me, the Mets 2025 wild card is what they have in Ronny Mauricio. He hasn’t played baseball since tearing his ACL last December during a winter game.
During his brief 21-game big league stint in 2023, Mauricio played second base, third base and shortstop. While he’s not the prototype of a second baseman, he has surprised some with his comfort in this small sample size.
After his ACL injury, it will be important to see how his athleticism and lateral quickness bounce back. Mauricio is likely to make an impact for the Mets in 2025, and second base is one of the options for him.
The least likely, but not impossible, would be SNY’s #1 prospect Jett Williams. He missed all but 33 games last season due to wrist surgery. He made a six-game appearance with Triple-A Syracuse at the end of the season, but I would expect him to return with Double-A Binghamton in 2025 from now on.
Williams can play all three middle positions, but second base is something he has very limited exposure to professionally. He is a positive athlete with good lateral quickness, leading evaluators to believe that second base will likely be his best long-term home.
While a promotion to the big leagues in 2025 is possible for Williams, he would likely have to jump a few players on the depth chart to be a second base option this upcoming season.
