THE APEX TIMES
Carson Benge checks in at No. 10, while Nolan McLean lands at No. 12 on MLB Pipeline’s annual rankings of which 2026 rookies are most likely to accumulate career value.
MLB Pipeline’s annual long-term rookie value rankings for the 2026 class again put two shortstops at the very top, with Konnor Griffin ranked No. 1 and Kevin McGonigle No. 2. For Mets fans specifically, the list places outfielder Carson Benge at No. 10 and right-hander Nolan McLean at No. 12.
The rankings are built to look beyond present-year production, using factors such as the age when players reach the majors, their track record and projections, and context such as the greater fragility of pitchers. MLB Pipeline also limits eligibility to players who have graduated from rookie or prospect status by meeting criteria tied to plate appearances, innings, or active service time.
Benge is listed as an outfielder, age 23, and is one of the top Mets names on the list. MLB Pipeline highlights that he is part of a small group of National League rookies to log a 20-20 season, and it also notes his two-way background from Oklahoma State, where he had pitched as well as played outfield.
McLean, age 24, is listed as a right-hander and is described in the rankings as having produced more value as a hitter than as a pitcher before his big-league role. MLB Pipeline credits him with leading the majors in run value produced with his sinker (27) and recording the highest average curveball spin rate (3,371 rpm), while adding that refinement of command could determine whether his ceiling reaches Cy Young level.
MLB Pipeline said this long-term exercise has been produced since 2015 and that only three times has the top two in the value list matched the preseason MLB Pipeline Top 100 in exact order, including the current configuration at No. 1 and No. 2.
In addition to Benge and McLean, MLB Pipeline’s list includes several other 2026 rookies at nearby positions, reinforcing that the Mets’ two representatives are among the handful of the more prominent developing players in the full graduating group.