MMO Roundtable: Three Biggest Surprises From the Mets’ 2026 Season

Yes, we know, the Mets’ 2026 season was full of disappointments. We already shared those with you. But now, let’s try to be a bit more positive. There were some surprises during this season. Here are the ones that we think were the biggest.

Robert Colonna

My three biggest surprises this season are Zac Thornton, A.J. Ewing and Nate Lavender.

Zac Thornton was a big surprise for the 2026 Mets. I don’t know that I fully buy his stats as repeatable, and probably would not want to write his name in ink into the 2027 opening day rotation, but he made legitimate changes and growth across the 2026 season. Those adjustments brought him from someone who looked like being a depth starter would be a stretch to someone you’re comfortable throwing 20 starts next year. Maybe he can surprise us again and make those velocity gains he labeled as a goal of his a reality.

If you told me before the season what A.J. Ewing’s final 2026 OPS was as a 21 year old rookie I would have said that makes sense. If you told me he did that after only playing in 12 Triple-A games I don’t know if I would have believed it. Add in the fact he seemed to develop a legitimate “A swing” and hit almost as many home runs in 120 major league games as he did in parts of four minor league seasons and we have what looks like a potential cornerstone player forming.

I have been a fan of Nate Lavender’s since he talked about throwing with grit during spring training before the 2024 season and was happy when he returned to us after being selected in the rule five draft. Watching him in the minors this year he looked like he could handle pitching in the majors. He added velocity and improved his stuff and now he looks like he could be a potential leverage arm. The Mets have not really had a legitimate home grown left-handed reliever since Pedro Feliciano.

David Melendi

Carson Benge hit .232 with one homer in 95 at-bats vs. lefties in the minors last year. I expected him to platoon, but he surprised me with a .279/.347/.419 slash line vs. southpaws and six homers in 172 at-bats.

Zac Thornton showed it’s possible in 2026 to get by without striking people out. His 6.72 K/9 ranked 152nd of 178 pitchers who threw 80+ innings. His 3.42 ERA ranked 49th in that group.

Tyrone Taylor’s game-tying, three-run homer with two outs in the ninth against the Yankees was a wonderful surprise. The Mets won the game in the 10th.

Patrick Glynn

Christian Scott—of course we knew his potential, but the fact Scott made it through 123.2 innings across the minors and majors coming off Tommy John surgery AND performed well gives the Mets more confidence in the rotation heading into next year.

Andy Green—I am legit shocked that 1) Green had a successful enough tenure as interim manager that he’d be considered for the full-time gig, 2) that Green wanted the full-time gig, and 3) all parties were so interested that they got a deal done before the season ended. That was not a scenario I ever saw coming once Carlos Mendoza‘s time seemed to be coming to an end.

A.J. Ewing—the Mets asked a lot from the 21-year-old, and he held his own and then some over five months in the majors. He provided league-average offense and stellar defense while playing in all but two games after he was called up. If he unlocks a little more power, he’s a legit 4-5-win player to pair with Carson Benge and Juan Soto. That could be the best outfield in baseball.

Mathias Altman-Kurosaki

My three biggest surprises from this year are Carson Benge, A.J. Ewing and Jared Young.

I didn’t doubt that Benge would be a good major leaguer, but when he tripped out of the gate in April, I wondered if he’d benefit from more time in the minor leagues. He rebounded very nicely and his overall numbers have put him in the conversation for Rookie of the Year honors. His defense also improved once he slid over to right field, and he made the most of his opportunities to show off his throwing arm.

I wasn’t expecting Ewing to be in the majors so early in the season. Like Benge, he ran into a rough patch, but he also was able to rebound with a good September. In addition to providing respectable numbers at the plate and creating havoc on the base paths, Ewing turned in excellent defensive numbers in center field. Between Benge and Ewing, the Mets have two solid two-way players in the outfield, to go along with Juan Soto.

Lastly, I had very little expectations for Jared Young. He didn’t do much in his cup of coffee with the team in 2025 and seemed to be nothing more than a bench piece heading into 2026. However, he made the most of his opportunities, turning in an above-average offensive season while playing solid defense at first base. Perhaps we’re looking at a late bloomer, as Young seems to be breaking out in his early 30s.

Johnluke Chaparro

The three biggest surprises for me this season were A.J. Ewing, Kodai Senga and Jared Young.

I knew that Ewing was going to be in the majors at some point but I didn’t know the immediate impact he would have and how well he’s been able to adjust when he’s struggled. We all knew he had the tools but I assumed he would have to and try and find his footing. To the contrary! He stepped in and filled a need right away. I was pleasantly surprised and glad to see that he’ll be a vital piece going forward.

I had no idea Senga had it in him but Kodai Senga becoming a reliable reliever was incredibly surprising and welcoming. I like Senga a lot and I’m glad that he seemingly has found a role here. It seems that making the game simple has worked for him and if that keeps him here, by all means. He has all the tools to be an effective reliever, especially with that fork ball of his!

I knew Jared Young would be a reliable piece but he blew past expectations and became someone who definitely can be a guy who can get solid playing time at first. A guy who played air tight defense and was one of the better guys hitting with RISP, Young gave them something to rely on in the absence of Jorge Polanco and I’m eagerly awaiting to see how he impacts the team next season!

Mojo Hill

Carson Benge and A.J. Ewing — I’ll lump these two into one surprise. You never necessarily know what you’re going to get from rookies called up for the first time, but Benge and Ewing both certainly surpassed expectations. It looked rough for Benge at first, and I kind of expected that he’d have a subpar season and maybe get some time in the minors. But credit to the Mets, they stuck with him, and credit to Benge for coming out of it. I never would have guessed in April that he’d end up being a legitimate candidate for Rookie of the Year. His overall season was absolutely a pleasant surprise. Ewing’s progression was a little different, in that he made a good first impression before struggling later on. But overall, he adjusted to his first taste of the majors pretty well and provided more MLB contributions than most expected coming into the season.

Andy Green — Carlos Mendoza’s tenure was a disappointment, but Green’s was a welcome surprise. Not only did he take over and lead this team to at least some respectability in the second half, but he ended up taking a long-term position, which I think is something that would be nice for the Mets to have since they haven’t really had a long-term manager since Terry Collins. I was surprised at how well-spoken and thoughtful Green seemed in his press conferences, and I was also surprised he changed his mind about wanting to get into managing. Bring on the Andy Green era.

Jared Young — Young had shown flashes, but it was nice to see him find some consistency. First base was a disaster for the 2026 Mets, but Young provided some stability in the thick of the season. He’s a fun story, too, as he’s the only MLB player that Minot State University, about two hours west of where I live in North Dakota, has ever had.

Christian De Block

1. Carson Benge – going into this season, I heard of Benge and his potential. But I was not aware of all the different skills he possessed. Especially as a defensive wizard in the outfield. I look forward to seeing what he can do in 2027. All-Star nod + Gold Glove in his near future.

2. Zac Thornton – another name that surprised me. All the focus was on McLean, Tong and even Wenninger last offseason. Thornton was not nearly mentioned enough, but that doesn’t matter now. His big league success in 2026 gives him a solid foundation to be a fixture in the Mets’ rotation moving forward.

3. Kodai Senga – like many of you reading this, I was tired/done with the Senga experience. Holding onto 2023 and his first half in 2025 was beginning to get old. But to his credit, he grabbed his opportunity in the bullpen and capitalized. Over his last 18 appearances, he pitched to a 3.78 ERA. I don’t know how he fits into the 2027 Mets’ bullpen, but I’m certainly intrigued by that role for him on a permanent basis.

Jack Ramsey

The biggest surprises of the Mets season, both good and bad, aren’t hard to figure out (at least in my opinion): Starting pitching, their rookie class, and prospect performances.

The Mets season was doomed from very early on, due in large part to how awful their starting pitching was. Freddy Peralta never got his season going, Clay Holmes missed the majority of the first half due to injury, Sean Manaea was sent to the pen in spring training, Nolan McLean did not hit his stride until the summer, and David Peterson was baseball’s worst starter to begin the season. Coming into the year, I felt the most confident about New York’s starting pitching. The silver lining, however, would be that their struggles created opportunities for Christian Scott and Zac Thornton, both of whom appear to be set to begin the 2027 season in the Mets’ rotation.

Continuing on that theme, the Mets’ rookie class was arguably the best in all of baseball this season. Carson Benge and Nolan McLean figure to finish in the top five in National League Rookie of the Year voting, while Benge might win the award all together. AJ Ewing cemented himself as the team’s starting center fielder, Thornton was one of the best lefty rookie starters in the game, and Nate Lavender dominated out of the bullpen after being called up following the trade deadline. All five of them figure to take on important roles next April, and this could prove to have been a transformative rookie class for the franchise.

Down in the farm system, multiple Mets’ top prospects disappointed this year, while other players rose from non-prospects to names to watch in spring training. Ryan Clifford and Jonah Tong both entered the season as two of the Mets’ better prospects, but both disappointed greatly this season. Tong came up to the big leagues in late spring as an injury replacement, but was not effective in the least. Down in Syracuse, he was rocked to the tune of A 4.54 ERA. He turned in a few good starts to end the year, but manager Andy Green made it obvious that he is tracking to begin 2027 with Syracuse again.

As for Clifford, he managed just a .640 OPS and 18 homers this year, and his struggles were so much that he was placed on the developmental list late in the summer. As for players who saw their status skyrocket, Nick Lorusso went from being an organizational filler to a legitimately interesting piece entering 2027. Playing the infield corners, he managed 22 homers and a .777 OPS after entering the season with just 19 homers in his career. Keep an eye on righty Channing Austin, who put up a 2.26 ERA between Brooklyn and Binghamton before being placed on the season-ending injured list.