On this page
New York Mets sign 2B Jeff Mc Neil to a 4 - Year $50 Million Contract Extension
Introduction
On Friday, January 27th, 2023 the 2022 National League batting champion and two - time National League All - Star selection, Jeff McNeil, and the New York Mets had agreed upon terms on a 4 - year contract extension worth up to approximately $50 million.
This new deal serves to ensure that one of the New York Mets key component players will be back in Queens, New York as the New York Mets pursue their 1st - Major League Baseball World Series championship title since the year of 1986.
The now 30 - year - old McNeil, was previously scheduled to head into an arbitration trial with the New York Mets in which he was asking for $7.75 million, and the New York Mets organization offered $6.25 million.
Instead, the gap sparked all new discussions regarding retaining Jeff even further than his outstanding 2 - years of arbitration which landed them on having to buy out several free agent MLB seasons. The new contract extension that is of course still pending a physical examination of McNeil, involves a 5th - year New York Mets club option that could propel the total value of this agreement to $63.75 million.
MLB Plate Presence
Jeff is most definitely among the most distinguished bat - to - ball specialists in the sport of professional baseball as he has only struck out 242 - times over the course of his 2,039 - MLB career plate appearances. That strike - out rate was only improved by just nine other ball players that recorded a minimum of 1,000 - MLB plate appearances since McNeil's major league debut in 2018.
Among all the Major League Baseball batters the only others in McNeil’s class as a big - league hitter include Michael Brantley as well as Luis Arraez. Jeff has a career batting average of .307 which is 3rd - behind only Arraez and Freddie Freeman over the course of that time frame.
Although power is not a huge component of McNeil's overall game as a ball player, Jeff brought to the plate a while lot of power during the 2022 MLB season as he hit .326 / .382 / .454 with 39 - doubles, 9 - home runs, 62 - RBIs, and with only 61 - strikeouts throughout
his 589 - times at the dish.
Versatility in the Field
McNeil's overall versatility and consistency has seemed to prove increasingly crucial to the starting line - up of the New York Mets overt the course of his Major League Baseball career, as Jeff sometimes would have to move from mostly playing second - base to some of the corner outfield positions as well.
Although McNeil managed to play a career - high 106 - baseball games at 2nd - base last year, and he was well above his overall average there, McNeil also played 47 - big - league - games in the outfield for the New York Mets last season that won 101 - games even though they ultimately lost to the San Diego Padres during the MLB playoffs wild - card round.
Outstanding Infield of the New York Mets
McNeil's total batting average could continue to rise too. Aside from his jarring .251 back during the 2021 MLB season, Jeff’s season batting statistics are .329, .318, .311, and .326. McNeil is expected to play a big part of a New York Mets infield for the 2023 MLB season, and that New York Mets include great generational big - league players like their home run derby champion first - baseman, Pete Alonso, as well as their MLB All - Star shortstop, Francisco Lindor. The New York Mets’ combination of Eduardo Escobar, Luis Guillorme, and rookie Brett Baty will split time taking care of the third - base position for the N. Y. Mets.
McNeil’s Baseball Career Achievements, Honors, & Awards
- 2 - Time MLB All - Star Selection (2019, 2022)
- MLB Batting Champion (2022)
- Silver Slugger Award Winner (2022)
Sources:
“Mets, batting champ Jeff McNeil reach $50M extension”, Jeff Passan, espn.com, January 27, 2023.
“Jeff McNeil”, baseball-reference.com, January 28, 2023.
“Jeff McNeil”, spotrac.com, January 28, 2023.