Jeff McNeil

Jeff McNeil
McNeil in July 2018 at Citi Field
New York Mets – No. 68
Infielder
Born: (1992-04-08) April 8, 1992
Santa Barbara, California
Bats: Left Throws: Right
MLB debut
July 24, 2018, for the New York Mets
MLB statistics
(through 2018 season)
Batting average .329
Home runs 3
Runs batted in 19
Teams

Jeff McNeil (born April 8, 1992) is an American professional baseball infielder for the New York Mets of Major League Baseball (MLB).

Career

McNeil attended Nipomo High School in Nipomo, California. He played baseball, basketball and golf. McNeil played three seasons of high school basketball and averaged 17 points per game as a senior.[1] McNeil focused primarily on his golf career until his disappointing performance in the 2009 U.S. Junior Amateur Golf Championship after which his focus shifted to baseball.[1][2][3] Because the high school golf and baseball seasons are both in spring, he did not play high school baseball until his senior year, but was offered a scholarship to play college baseball at Cal State Northridge due to his performance in summer ball.[1][4] He hit .446 as a senior and committed to play at Cal State Northridge.[1]

After Northridge's coach left the school, McNeil changed his commitment to Long Beach State. As a junior in 2013, McNeil had a .348 batting average with 11 strikeouts in 221 at bats; he was named to the All-Big West first team.[1][5]

New York Mets

He was drafted by the New York Mets in the 12th round of the 2013 Major League Baseball Draft.

McNeil made his professional debut with the Kingsport Mets. He played 2014 with the Savannah Sand Gnats and St. Lucie Mets and 2015 with St. Lucie and Binghamton Mets. After the 2015 season, he played in the Arizona Fall League.[6] In 2016, McNeil began using an unorthodox knobless bat given to him by Mets minor league hitting coordinator Lamar Johnson; he thenceforth began using knobless bats exclusively.[7] He played in only 51 games combined in 2016 and 2017 with Binghamton, St. Lucie and Las Vegas 51s due to numerous injuries.[8] McNeil started 2018 with the Binghamton Rumble Ponies and was promoted to Las Vegas during the season.[9][10] McNeil was promoted to the majors for the first time on July 24, 2018. He recorded his first Major League hit that night at Citi Field against Phil Hughes of the San Diego Padres on the first pitch he saw.[11] He hit his first Major League home run off Tanner Roark of the Washington Nationals on July 31st.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Dominitz, Nathan (June 20, 2014). "NATHAN DOMINITZ: Jeff McNeil takes different road in athletic career". Savannah Morning News. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  2. ↑ Farm report: McNeil acing switch from golf
  3. ↑ Farm Report: Jeff McNeil a two-sport standout
  4. ↑ Mets prospect Jeff McNeil hadn't even played HS baseball before catching attention of ex-scout. Now he's tearing it up at Triple-A
  5. ↑ Nipomo grad Jeff McNeil has career on track with Mets
  6. ↑ Mets sending three players to Arizona Fall League
  7. ↑ DiComo, Anthony (August 4, 2018). "Jeff McNeil uses unusual bat with no knob". MLB.com. Major League Baseball. Retrieved 6 August 2018.
  8. ↑ Finally healthy, Jeff McNeil shows his potential with 51s
  9. ↑ Harper: Jose Reyes is still starting for Mets while Jeff McNeil is hitting .393 in Triple-A, and it's just downright absurd
  10. ↑ A suddenly powerful prospect is busting onto Mets radar
  11. ↑ Ackert, Kristie. "Ackert: Mets still waiting to decide if Yoenis Cespedes needs surgery on night Jeff McNeil gets first hit in MLB debut". New York Daily News (July 24, 2018). Retrieved 24 July 2018.
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