2/12/26

Soto shifting to left field means big things could now be happening on the right side.

On Tuesday, David Stearns announced that in 2026, Juan Soto would be making the move from right field to left field, which means we could see a new face start in right field.

The decision comes after Stearns and company spoke with Soto and felt the move would be comfortable for him.

I think it's just where he is comfortable. He's done it in the past. He feels good over there,” said Stearns

“Frankly, it didn't make a lot of sense to bounce him back and forth from corner to corner during spring training. He's comfortable in left, fits with our roster. So we'll go forward with it.”

Over the offseason, Soto has been getting comfortable in left field. As the season approaches, Soto will be participating in the WBC, representing the Dominican Republic. In the World Baseball Classic, Soto will be playing left field.

“Over the last month or so, as (Carlos Mendoza) and Juan (Soto) were talking about the season, Juan was working out in left field cause he's going to play left field for the (Dominican Republic) in the WBC,” said David Stearns

“As they had their conversations, he felt really comfortable there.”

The move of Soto to left also gives the Mets a lot of flexibility in right field, which now has the opportunity to host a couple of new and a couple of familiar faces. 

For the familiar faces, the Mets could look to turn to veteran Tyrone Taylor or Brett Baty, who is expected to become a utility man following the multitude of New York’s offseason moves. 

“We think Brett's going to be able to adjust out there just fine. Tyrone Taylor, we're confident, is a very quality right fielder,” said David Stearns.

The new faces the Mets can look to are newly signed MJ Melendez and highly touted prospect Carson Benge, who has a legit shot to make the opening day roster.

Benge, who has been ranked as the second-best prospect in the Mets system and the 18th best in the MLB, has been widely regarded as MLB-ready for 2026. 

I think (Carson Benge) is a potential option out there,” said David Stearns.

“We've been consistent throughout the offseason that Carson is going to come to camp with a chance to make our team that remains the same. He's played a lot of right field during his time in the minor leagues. We're confident with him out there.”

In the minor leagues, the former first-round pick has shown flashes of greatness. During the 2025 season in Brooklyn, Binghamton, and Syracuse, Benge smacked 15 home runs, hit a .281 batting average, and put together a .857 OBP campaign.

Benge, being a lefty, also helps him fit perfectly into the lineup. 

With Soto locked into left, the focus now shifts to right field, and whoever wins that job could end up being a big part of what this team looks like in 2026.