EXCLUSIVE: Mets Top Prospects Jett Williams and Carson Benge Discuss Baseball Journey

The New York Mets promoted their top hitting prospects, outfielder Carson Benge and middle infielder and centerfielder Jett Williams, from their Double-A affiliate, the Bingmaton Rumble Ponies, to their Triple-A affiliate, the Syracuse Mets, on Aug. 10.

Binge just became the Mets’ top-ranked prospect on MLB Pipeline.com’s Top 100 Rankings at number 20. Williams is their second-ranked prospect and is 30th on MLB Pipeline. Right-handed pitcher Jonah Tong and first baseman and corner outfielder Ryan Clifford were also promoted to Triple-A on Aug. 10.

Benge and Williams spoke to the media last week on Aug. 7 before their game against the Yankees’ Double-A affiliate, the Somerset Patriots.

OF Prospect Carson Benge Interview

Benge, 22, was the Mets’ first-round Draft pick out of Oklahoma State with the 19th overall selection in the 2024 MLB Draft. I caught up with him at Spring Training as well, and we spoke about what has changed since then.

“I feel like I’ve shortened up a little bit, just different things in my swing, but overall still the same mentality, and other than that I’m really the same hitter you saw back in Spring Training,” Benge told World Baseball Network.

Benge is a left-handed hitter and has been on fire since he was promoted from the Mets’ High-A affiliate, the Brooklyn Cyclones, to the Binghamton Mets on June 23. He received the Eastern League Player of the Month for July.

Benge had eight home runs, 23 RBI, four stolen bases, and an OPS of .978 in 126 at-bats with the Binghamton Mets. He has 12 home runs, 60 RBI, 19 stolen bases, and a slash line of .308/.413/.513 in 351 at-bats this season.  

Benge is a well-rounded hitter with speed who can play all three outfield positions.

“We have really good defensive coordinators, and different things like that help us with base running and getting everything we can from them is valuable,” Benge told World Baseball Network.

He was a two-way star at Oklahoma State, and his growth as a hitter has benefited tremendously since he has focused exclusively on that since being drafted.

“I do miss pitching sometimes because I love competing,” Benge told the media.

INF/OF Prospect Jett Williams Interview

Williams, 21, was the Mets’ minor league player of the year in 2023 and then got hit with the injury bug in 2024. He opened up about what has allowed him to excel after he lost the majority of the 2024 season to a wrist injury.

“That was really my first real full season, so the success I had, you kind of just wanted to see where I did well in 2023. So I think for me missing 24 was like the lost season, not necessarily a lost season, but I’ve just come back from injury and not being 100%,” Williams told World Baseball Network.

“Going into this year, just getting with my hitting coaches and the hitting department and just seeing what I was doing really well, and just to try to see if I can translate that into this year.”

In 2022, the Mets picked Williams in the first round of the MLB Draft with the 14th overall selection out of Rockwell-Heath High School in Texas. Williams has a unique skill set and is an all-around great athlete.

His 32 stolen bases this season stand out, and he also has 10 home runs, 37 RBI, and a slash line of .281/.390/.477 in 352 at-bats. Now Williams is one step away from realizing his MLB dream.

“I practice infield every day, and when I do outfield once or twice a week, I go out there and take my reps out there. Like I said earlier, I just go with the coaches and kind of create a plan that works best for me out there,” Williams told World Baseball Network.

Williams has played 19 games in center field, a position he also played in his junior year of high school. He is a natural shortstop and has played 54 games there, along with 16 at second base.

What’s Next?

Binge and Williams are one step closer to MLB, and the Triple-A journey begins for them Tuesday, Aug.12, against the Triple-A affiliate, the Washington Nationals affiliate, the Rochester Red Wings in Rochester, N.Y, at 6:45 p.m. ET.