The Mets were one of the last teams to finalize their non-roster list for 2026 MLB Spring Training. While the vast majority of it is composed of former Major Leaguers, there are several notable prospects. Namely, Carson Benge, Ryan Clifford, and A.J. Ewing, three of the top youngsters in the Mets’ system.
The prospects
The headliner is Carson Benge, the Mets’ first-round pick from 2024 and, arguably, the best position player prospect in the organization right now. Benge, across three levels last season, slashed .281/.385/.472 with 15 home runs and 47 extra-base hits, as well as 22 stolen bases.
Benge has an interesting blend of speed, power, and contact ability. The 23-year-old posted a sub-20% Whiff% in the South Atlantic League, where he played 60 of his 116 games from 2025, last season. The left-handed hitter walked 68 times, juxtaposed to 92 strikeouts.
Ryan Clifford hit 29 home runs last season between Double-A and Triple-A, 24 of which came with Binghamton last season. A plus power hitter who will strike out from time to time — he’s a patient hitter, which comes with drawbacks at times — Clifford was part of the return that the Mets received for Justin Verlander in 2023.
Aside from those two, the Mets also invited A.J. Ewing, a speedster who’s one of those grinder-type hitters. Ewing posted an OBP above .400 last season, and while he wasn’t an elite power hitter in the Minors, he is very athletic and has premier bat-to-ball skills.
Jacob Reimer, who also had a strong year in 2025, power-hitting catcher Chris Suero, and former first-round pick Kevin Parada round out the group of position players.
Jack Wenninger and Ryan Lambert are among the notable pitchers. Lambert had one of the best swing-and-miss rates in the Eastern League last season. Wenninger, meanwhile, finished second in the EL in total strikeouts (147), behind only Jonah Tong (162).
Nate Lavender, a former Rule 5 Draft pick by the Rays in 2024, is back with the organization and is also a non-roster invite.
Other notables
Former Manhattan College pitcher Joe Jacques will be in the Mets camp this spring. Jacques, the 30-year-old lefty who pitched in the Majors in 2023 and 2024, spent last season between the Dodgers and Mariners’ Triple-A affiliates.
Adbert Alzolay was at one point the closer for the Cubs. Alzolay notched 22 saves for Chicago in 2023 but was hit hard in 2024, as he allowed six home runs in 17.1 IP. The 30-year-old right-hander missed all of last season on the IL. The Mets signed him last January.
Other pitchers in camp for the Mets are Craig Kimbrel, Anderson Severino, Robert Stock, Mike Baumann, Daniel Duarte, Nick Burdi, Kevin Herget, Carl Edwards Jr., and Brandon Waddell. Herget and Waddell both pitched for the Mets in 2025.
As for the position players, Austin Barnes, Christian Arroyo, Jackson Cluff, Grae Kessinger, Jose Rojas, Jose Ramos, Cristian Pache, and Ji Hwan Bae will be in Florida with the Mets.
Check out more of our MLB coverage, including a look at who the Cubs invited to camp this year.