New York Mets utility man Jeff McNeil made his major-league debut as a 26-year-old last July after the Mets traded Asdrubal Cabrera to Philadelphia. With him, he carried a .311/.380/.443 minor-league slash line over six MiLB seasons and a reputation of being a contact-first hitter.
Over the latter part of the 2018 season, McNeil, 27, proved that and then some. By the end of the year, the Nipomo, California native had amassed a .329/.381/.471 slash line with 11 doubles, six triples, 19 RBIs, and just 24 strikeouts in 248 plate appearances.
Among MLB hitters with over 200 plate appearances in the second half last season, McNeil’s .368 weighted on-base average ranked 16th in the National League, his 137 weighted runs created plus rating was good for 13th in the NL, and his 2.7 wins above replacement (FanGraphs) was fifth-highest in the league and ninth-best in baseball.
Surely, McNeil couldn’t carry that success into his sophomore campaign, right? Major league pitchers adapt and adjust. They feast on overzealous, unproven hitters who bust out of the gates; that’s their bread and butter. Apparently, McNeil didn’t get that memo.
After his 2-for-4 day on Wednesday — extending his seven-game hit streak to eight — Jeff McNeil is hitting .424/.485/.542 with five doubles, a triple, 10 RBIs, four walks, and just six strikeouts in 59 at-bats.
Through Wednesday night’s games (66 plate appearances), McNeil’s .444 wOBA ranked 12th in MLB, his 179 wRC+ was good for 14th, and his 0.9 fWAR ranked 28th in all of baseball. So much for getting a book on this guy.
A fun fact: Jeff McNeil didn’t go more than two games last season without getting a hit. He went two games without a hit three times — August 1 and 2; August 7 and 8; August 11 and 12 — all within three weeks of his major-league debut, and hasn’t gone two games without a hit since then, this season included.
Another one? Sure. McNeil’s 9.6% strikeout rate since making his MLB debut is the third-lowest in all of baseball over that time (minimum 300 plate appearances).
His .382 batting average on balls-in-play signifies a potential decline in productivity at some point, but he’s shown no signs of slowing down as of yet.
Basically, Jeff McNeil hits. Strike that. Jeff McNeil freaking rakes.
His .424 batting average stood tied with Tim Anderson of the White Sox for third-best in baseball behind MLB co-leaders Jorge Polanco and Cody Bellinger, both at .429, going into Thursday’s games.
He hits versus righties (.353/.406/.474, .381 wOBA, 144 wRC+ over 238 career plate appearances). He hits versus lefties (.333/.395/.522, .393 wOBA, 151 wRC+ over 76 plate appearances). He hits at Citi Field (.381/.435/.504 in 126 career plate appearances). He hits on the road (.327/.382/.474 in 188 plate appearances).
Whether Mickey Callaway & Co. decide to stick McNeil at third base, in left field, or (coming soon) shortstop, the Mets unquestionably have to keep his bat in this lineup.
Considering his seamless transition into nearly any scenario he’s been thrust into — save a few inexperience-based mishaps in the outfield — it doesn’t appear the Mets have any intention of going astray from that charted course, nor should they.
