The Mets are taking commerce inquiries on Jeff McNeil, reviews Jon Heyman of The New York Submit. The veteran utilityman is recovering from thoracic outlet surgical procedure, which complicates conversations with different golf equipment. McNeil’s agent, Paragon’s Garrett Parcell, informed The Submit’s Joel Sherman that he’s anticipated to be full go for Spring Coaching.
McNeil is getting into the ultimate assured season of the four-year, $50MM extension he signed in the course of the 2023-24 offseason. He’s set for a $15.75MM wage and assured a $2MM buyout on an identical membership possibility for the ’27 season. It’s primarily a one-year, $17.75MM dedication. (An buying crew would additionally owe him a $500K project bonus.) That’s greater than he’d get on the open market coming off a .243/.335/.411 line and heading into his age-34 season. One thing like a two-year deal within the $18-20MM vary could be cheap, however he wouldn’t command that sort of cash on a one-year time period.
On the time of the extension, McNeil was coming off a batting title. He hasn’t maintained these heights over the previous three seasons. He mixed for a barely below-average .257/.323/.381 slash line between 2023-24. This 12 months’s numbers have been higher but additionally got here with damage questions. McNeil missed the primary few weeks of the season with an indirect pressure. He hit effectively over the following few months, operating a .256/.348/.451 line with as many walks as strikeouts in almost 400 plate appearances by the top of August. His bat wilted because the crew collapsed in September, as he completed with a .187/.274/.240 exhibiting within the season’s remaining month.
Taking part in by thoracic outlet syndrome affords a proof for the late-season struggles. On the identical time, that additionally raises questions on what groups can anticipate going into 2026. TOS typically isn’t as damaging for hitters as it may be for pitchers, but some golf equipment might desire to see McNeil play earlier than taking up a notable chunk of cash. His strikeout charge ticked up within the remaining two months of the season, whereas his common exit velocity plummeted in September.
McNeil has primarily been a second baseman in his profession. He’s a succesful if unspectacular defender there. McNeil has an honest quantity of nook outfield expertise, the place he has obtained stable defensive grades. He added a bit greater than 200 innings in middle subject this previous season, albeit with mediocre marks from Defensive Runs Saved and Outs Above Common. McNeil is a below-average runner and shouldn’t be counted on for greater than part-time work in middle subject.
Whereas the contract and damage are obstacles, McNeil may very well be interesting to some groups if the Mets pay down a part of the contract. The Astros don’t have an on a regular basis second baseman and wish a left-handed bat. The Angels might additionally use a lefty hitter and will bounce McNeil between second and third base. The Royals received nothing out of second base this 12 months and customarily desire high-contact hitters of his ilk. The Giants, Athletics, Pirates and Tigers (if Gleyber Torres rejects the qualifying supply) might all look to improve at second base. These groups would in all probability desire to amass Brendan Donovan, however the prospect value could be a lot increased for the St. Louis utilityman.
If the Mets have been to commerce McNeil, they might kick Brett Baty over to second base. That’d maybe allow them to make a run at a free agent third baseman or attempt to signal Ha-Seong Kim as a multi-positional participant who’d improve the infield protection. McNeil’s contact comes with a $12.5MM luxurious tax hit for New York, which means they’re paying $13.75MM in taxes on it as a third-time payor within the highest bracket. The CBT hit would recalculate to mirror the remaining cash on the backloaded deal if he’s traded. It’d be a $17.75MM luxurious tax quantity — minus any money issues the Mets embody, which might stay on their CBT ledger — for an buying crew.
