Unofficial fan projectYoung Pitching and a Pennant
Jeff McNeil
Second baseman and outfielder · Mets 2018–present
The part fans remember
What the numbers leave out.
McNeil did not arrive with much noise. He just kept hitting, moved wherever the Mets put him, and turned annoying little line drives into a batting title. The nickname is silly; the bat is not.
McNeil was a 12th-round draft pick who lost time to injuries and did not reach the majors until he was 26. Once he arrived in 2018, he hit too much to send back down. His short swing, quick hands, and ability to use the whole field made him look like a player from another era.
The Mets kept moving him around because he could handle second base, third base, and the outfield. That flexibility helped the roster, even if it sometimes made his own role unclear. He made the All-Star team in 2019, struggled badly in 2021, and then answered with a .326 average and the National League batting title in 2022.
McNeil’s emotions are never hidden. A bad swing can lead to a broken bat, an argument with the grass, or a face every fan recognizes from their own living room. When he is right, though, few players are more fun to watch because every strange pitch seems hittable. The messiness is part of the charm.
The honest version
The best stretch
McNeil’s 2018–20 peak began with the simple fact that he kept hitting at every level. His short swing and ability to send the ball anywhere made defensive shifts feel useless. He could spoil tough pitches, attack early strikes, and produce without looking like the modern all-or-nothing hitter. In 2022, after a terrible previous season, he completed the comeback by winning the batting title at .326.
The part that got messy
The edge that fuels him can also show itself as frustration. Broken bats, visible anger, and defensive moves around the diamond have sometimes made his role feel less settled than his talent. Yet the same intensity is why teammates and fans expect him to compete through every at-bat. When McNeil is right, he gives the Mets a different kind of offense from the sluggers around him.
Why fans still care
His story is still being written, but it already includes an unlikely climb from the 12th round, two All-Star selections, a batting title, and a major role across several versions of the roster. He has played second, third, and the outfield because the club keeps finding ways to use his bat. The Flying Squirrel nickname is fun; the harder truth for opponents is that he earned a long career through pure hitting skill.
McNeil’s game has always felt a little improvised. He chokes up, slaps pitches nobody else would touch, changes positions, and occasionally looks furious at the grass itself. When the swing is right, he is a pure hitter in an era obsessed with power. The 2022 batting title was the perfect reward for a player whose best skill is simply finding barrel after barrel.
Signature Mets momentWon the 2022 National League batting title with a .326 average.
The short list
The stuff worth remembering.
- 012022 NL batting champion
- 02Two-time All-Star
- 032024 NLCS run