The New York Mets have opened the door wide to allow Carson Benge to step through it.
The promising prospect has every chance of winning the Opening Day right field job for the Mets.
There’s the potential for competition, though, if it looks like Benge isn’t ready, and it could come from a surprise source.
The Mets signed Mike Tauchman earlier this month, and the 35-year old could factor in.
“When the Mets signed Tauchman after the official start of camp, it added depth to their right-field competition,” MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo wrote on Monday. “The people’s choice to win that job is No. 2 prospect Carson Benge, who has a real chance to make the team. But Benge also has just 24 largely unsuccessful games of experience above Double-A. If he falters in Grapefruit League play, it will thrust the door wide open for the 35-year-old Tauchman to win the gig.”
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Tauchman has played for five teams in his MLB career: the Rockies, Yankees, Giants, Cubs and White Sox.
It’s really within the past few seasons where Tauchman has taken a big step forward. He has put up an on-base percentage of .356 or better in each of the past three seasons. He was a 1.9 WAR player in 2025 for the White Sox, and he was at 2.7 WAR for the Cubs in 2023.
In just 93 games in 2025, he hit 17 doubles, a triple, and nine home runs. He drove in 40 runs and scored 44 while hitting .263/.356/.400.
While Tauchman is aging, he has also gotten better in the last couple seasons than he ever was before. That certainly gives him a chance to hold off Benge, if the youngster proves to need some more seasoning in the minor leagues.
