A notable MLB insider revealed this week the major change Jeff McNeil has made to hold on to his starting job at second base and quiet the recent trade rumors.
There is a ton of excitement surrounding the Mets heading into the 2025 season. They stunned the baseball world by reaching the NLCS in October. Then they made some major moves to boost their chances of reaching the World Series this year. Including a record-shattering contract being given to former New York Yankees star Juan Soto.
While there are unlikely to be any more notable additions this spring, there is an interesting position battle at second base. From 2019 to 2023 Jeff McNeil was entrenched at second. However, after winning a batting title two years ago, his stats have gone into a notable decline since.
It led to speculation during the offseason that he could be traded. And manager Carlos Mendoza implied this month some youngsters will get a chance to try and win the second base job this spring. Sensing his starting job and role on the club is in serious jeopardy, it seems that McNeil has made a big change to his hitting approach so he can regain his importance to the team in 2025.
- Jeff McNeil stats (2025): .238 AVG, .308 OBP, .384 SLG, .692 OPS, 12 HR, 44 RBI, 57 R
Is Jeff McNeil sensing his spot on the New York Mets is in jeopardy?
“Right away with Jeff McNeil I saw what was different: His bat,” MLB Network insider Tom Verducci revealed this week. “You remember, back in the day, he had one of those old-school bats. No knob at the bottom, thick handle. And he gets in the cage for live [batting practice] and it’s a different bat. A more traditional one. I asked him about it.
“If you recall in the second half of last season, Jeff’s slugged over .500. In the offseason he said, ‘I want to continue to do that and hit for power not for average.’ He worked especially on getting his bat speed up, and to do that he went to the more traditional bat,” Verducci added. “So if you’re the Mets, you’re looking at Jeff McNeil, not as the former batting champion. But as a guy that is going to give you some pop at second base.”
- Jeff McNeil contract: Four years, $50 million
The New York Mets second baseman’s average was down nearly .100 points in 2024 compared to what it was in 2022. If he feels his bat speed is a major reason for his declining numbers, then the change does make sense. With the roster having a lot of options on the infield, the 32-year-old has younger and cheaper talent aiming to take his job. So making major adjustments to get his numbers back up to hold on to his job is a smart move by the veteran.