Benge's bid to make Mets' Opening Day roster coming down to wire

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- The friends and lockermates that used to surround Carson Benge are mostly gone. Those who once joined Benge on the clubhouse couches for chess matches or simple conversations -- A.J. Ewing, Nick Morabito, Jacob Reimer, Ryan Clifford and the like -- have all been reassigned to the Minors.

These days, it’s just Benge, one of six full-time outfielders left in big league camp. He’s the only remaining prospect with a chance to make the team.

“It’s coming down to the wire,” Benge said. “I’d like to know, but it’s not the end of the world. I can wait.”

Ask Mets officials, and they will tell you Benge has done everything they’ve asked of him. More than four-fifths of the way through the spring schedule, the organization’s No. 2 prospect is batting .406, which ranks 34th among the 500-plus players with at least 25 plate appearances. He’s seeing more than 4.2 pitches per trip to the plate, working deep counts and spraying the field. He is hitting the ball solidly as well, including a 107.6 mph single on Monday -- his hardest knock of spring. And he is showcasing what multiple rival scouts have called plus-plus outfield defense, including a tractor beam of a right arm.

None of it means Benge has made the team, as Mets officials will wait until much closer to Opening Day to make that decision. It just means Benge has done everything within his power to state his case -- and then some.

“I feel like I’ve carried myself well through good and bad play,” Benge said. “Just fighting, trying to do everything I can, play my game and just let things work out for themselves.”

The dirty little secret here is that like most roster bubble decisions, Benge’s status won’t hinge entirely on his performance. There are other factors to consider, including the fact that Benge’s direct competition for a roster spot, Mike Tauchman, has also been one of the Grapefruit League’s top performers. Tauchman has an opt-out in his contract with a deadline next week, meaning the Mets will risk losing him if they don’t add him to their active roster before then. That would leave them thin on outfield depth.

But there is merit to the idea of carrying both Benge and Tauchman thanks in large part to Francisco Lindor, who, if healthy, will play every day at shortstop. Earlier in camp, Mets officials weren’t entirely sure Lindor would be ready for Opening Day. It now appears he will be, which lessens the need for a backup shortstop such as Vidal Bruján. (Should anything happen to Lindor in a game, the Mets could always slide Bo Bichette or Marcus Semien over in a pinch.)

There are, in other words, multiple moving parts at play, none of which Benge can control.

“He needs to continue to play his game,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “There’s a lot that can happen between now and Opening Day.”

More than anything, Mets and rival officials have commended Benge for his plate approach. Mendoza lauded “his ability to manipulate the barrel in a lot of different ways,” citing a recent up-and-in pitch that Benge punched, Derek Jeter-style, to the opposite field. Hitting coach Troy Snitker echoed his boss’ sentiment, saying Benge has “done a good job of just being a really good hitter right now.”

“I think that’s one of the best things about him is that he moves the bat really fast, but he’s a really good hitter, too,” Snitker said. “He can beat you in multiple different ways. He can back a heater up and hit it hard over the shortstop’s head, and man, you leave a mistake, and he can hit it 430 feet into the stands. It’s an impressive repertoire of skills.”

At some point over the next nine days, Benge will learn if that skillset will translate into an Opening Day roster spot. Until then, he’s not sweating the decision. Most days, Benge can be found alone at his locker, head buried in his phone, seemingly not a care in the world. Earlier this week, Benge perked up only when Sean Manaea entered the room. He challenged his teammate to a chess match.

About 15 minutes later, Manaea, who helped teach Benge the game earlier this spring, walked away shaking his head at a loss to the youngster.

“I definitely find joy in what I do,” Benge said. “Having all these guys around me makes it that much easier, too.”