They are the Mets' top two prospects. They are former two-way college teammates and roommates at Oklahoma State who were drafted by New York a year apart and have very similarly colored locks. This year, they could be sharing the field together in the big leagues. Carson Benge and Nolan McLean are not exactly conjoined at the hip, but they are very close friends whose career trajectories are inextricably tied. And that obviously means they also share a healthy rivalry.
When asked on a Reddit AMA whether he was a better pitcher than McLean was a hitter, Benge didn't hesitate.
"I think I got him. I think I'm a better pitcher," he said.
Let's go to the tape. In Benge's final year at Oklahoma State (2024), he made 18 appearances on the mound (four starts) with a 3.16 ERA and 44 strikeouts in 37 innings. In McLean's last college season (2023), he had a .911 OPS with nine homers and 29 RBIs, though the previous year he went deep 19 times in 242 at-bats.
That's a pretty close call. Let's not forget that McLean earned the nickname "Cowboy Ohtani" and was actually drafted as a two-way player, while Benge was taken in the first round (19th overall) as an outfielder only. There may not be a perfect answer to the question, but one thing Benge can say with certainty is that he's looking forward to someday taking the field with his friend at the next level.
"It was truly a blessing being able to play with him in college, and then to have a chance to play with him in the Major Leagues is truly something," Benge said. "We've known each other for four years now, and seeing his ascent through the Minors and the success he's had makes me want to get there and be with him so much sooner."
Ranked by MLB Pipeline as the No. 16 prospect in baseball, Benge is fighting for an Opening Day roster spot and has impressed the Mets with his plate discipline and competitive at-bats so far this spring. There's an open competition in right field that includes Tyrone Taylor, Mike Tauchman and MJ Melendez. As he navigates all that, Benge is just trying to be a sponge in the clubhouse. It helps that his locker is next to Juan Soto's.
"I'm gonna try to stick close to him and learn from him because I feel like he's one of the best in the game, so sticking to him I'll definitely pick up some things," Benge said. "Not only just him but Tyrone Taylor, Luis Robert [Jr.]. All those guys that have been out there and proven themselves out there, just staying close to them and trying to pick up on what they've learned throughout their careers."
Benge gave some insight into his interests off the field as well. He is learning to play guitar and said he dove right into the deep end when he first took it up.
"I went straight off the bat with some difficult songs, so 'Stairway to Heaven' was my first," said Benge, who cited Jimi Hendrix and Eddie Van Halen as some of his favorite guitarists.
We may not know for sure who the better two-way player is, but if Benge, McLean and No. 3 Mets prospect Jonah Tong ever form a boy band, we can take a guess at who the leading man will be.