It might have taken a bit longer than expected, but Jeff McNeil is finally starting to look like his old self at the plate. The reigning National League batting champion has had a rough go of things this season, hitting .253/.330/.332 with 103 hits, four home runs and 37 RBIs through 112 games. In comparison, McNeil finished the 2022 campaign with a .326/.382/.454 with 174 hits in 148 games. He just edged out Freddie Freeman for the top batting honor.

The numbers have taken a drastic turn in just a year; his 2023 OPS sits at .668, putting him at 15th among all second basemen in the game. In 2022, he finished third, with a .836 OPS, just behind Jose Altuve and former Met, Andrés Giménez. At the plate this year, he has not looked like the hitter who helped his team secure a spot in the postseason and produce a 101-win season. However, since July 21, things have begun to turn a corner for McNeil. Since then, he’s batting a much more McNeil-like .290/.364/.435 with 20 hits, 12 runs and 10 RBIs. More importantly, he’s had five multi-hit games in that span, something that’s been lacking.

What’s To Come For The Flying Squirrel?

McNeil signed a four-year, $50MM extension this past offseason with the Mets, securing his place in Queens for potentially the rest of his career. However, it’s not hard to wonder where McNeil fits into the Mets’ plans with their new influx of elite prospects.

Since his debut in 2018, Jeff has been one of the most versatile players in the game. He can play almost any position in the field and does so at a gold glove caliber level. While he’s settled in primarily at second base or the corner outfield spots, he can slot in at third or even shortstop in a pinch. But with budding prospects like Luisangel Acuña, Ronny Mauricio, Drew Gilbert, and even rookies Brett Baty and Mark Vientos, it’s hard to see where everybody fits in on the roster soon.

Because of McNeil’s defensive flexibility, he will play every day; just where is the question? Players like Mauricio might need to find a set position to make their way to the show. McNeil, however, can and has flourished in any role taken on the field. His bat is no need for concern – a similar situation happened in 2021. He finished that year batting .251/.319/.360 and came back the following year to win a batting title.

Newcomers might even look to McNeil for inspiration on making the best out of the unknown and unexpected. A 12th-round pick in the 2013 draft, McNeil wasn’t even on the Mets Top 30 Prospect ratings a year before he made his debut.

Going… Going… Gone?

While McNeil is part of the Mets’ core, there is a world where the front office decides to continue their trading spree come the offseason. While it still feels unlikely, the Mets might not be able to reject an offer they receive. The Mets might dip McNeil’s name in the trade pool to see what they can net. After all, they rejuvenated their entire farm system in a single trade deadline. They might want to keep going. In the end, however, he most likely will have more value to the team in the long run, as both a player and leader.