As it seems, the Squirrel didn’t bark up the flawed tree this time round. The Mets made Jeff McNeil’s four-year, $50 million contract official at Citi Field on Tuesday afternoon. The 30-year-old — who self-described as “uptight” — has secured his future with the Amazin’s, one thing that was doubtful all through his early skilled baseball profession.
The unknown was a theme of the 2022 NL batting champion’s path that led him to the large leagues. After being drafted by the Mets within the twelfth spherical of the 2013 MLB Draft, the utility man battled by numerous accidents within the minors, taking part in simply three whole video games in Double-A in 2016 and 48 video games in 2017 between High-A and Triple-A.
“Getting called up at 26 and going to be a free agent at 33, you never know what’s going to happen,” McNeil mentioned. “When I was going through the minor leagues dealing with those injuries, it was tough. It was tough to stay positive at times.”
Being 25-years-old and never taking part in greater than 18 video games on the Triple-A stage is for certain to depart some doubts. McNeil was no totally different as nothing was assured together with his future within the group.
“Yea, I think everyone has those thoughts [of not making the majors] in the minor leagues,” mentioned McNeil. “Especially I went a yr and a half, nearly two years of not being 100%.
You form of assume, am I ever going to make it? What’s going to occur? But was fortunate sufficient in [2018] to be again to myself wholesome and even a greater participant than I used to be earlier than the accidents.”
Back to himself he was certainly. In 2018, McNeil slashed .342/.412/.627 in 88 video games between Double-A and Triple-A incomes himself a name as much as the large leagues the place he has since by no means appeared again.
After his stellar rookie marketing campaign, when he hit .329 with three homers and 19 RBI, the two-time All-Star cemented himself as a cornerstone piece of the Mets’ future and has rung true ever since as his contract extension serves as proof.
McNeil — a profession .307 hitter — is the second homegrown Met to obtain a big contract this offseason as Brandon Nimmo inked an eight-year, $160 million free agent deal. However, there’s nonetheless one massive elephant — or Polar Bear — within the room and that’s the way forward for Pete Alonso.
Mets’ General Manager Billy Eppler refused to particularly tackle Alonso’s contract scenario Tuesday afternoon, nonetheless, the Mets’ first basemen was one of many first individuals to obtain a telephone name from McNeil after he inked his extension.
“He [Alonso] was so happy,” mentioned McNeil. “One of the first people I called. He didn’t know we were in extension talks. So I wanted to surprise him and that was a pretty cool phone call to make.”
Securing homegrown expertise early is a theme seen throughout baseball, particularly inside the NL East with the Atlanta Braves. Steve Cohen and Eppler have constantly talked about sustainability all through their tenure making an attempt to create “The East Coast Dodgers.”
Rewarding gamers similar to McNeil who’ve labored all through the system to make an influence on the main league stage rings a optimistic message all through the clubhouse in regards to the dedication from possession driving extra willingness and need to play for the Mets.
“I think it’s huge for taking care of us [homegrown players],” McNeil mentioned. “We’ve been right here a very long time and it provides hope to the youthful guys who’re simply arising. If they go on the market and play properly they might be a participant right here for a very long time and get that extension as properly.
“It means loads particularly as a homegrown man. It’s nice to see a man like Nimmo getting prolonged. It’s nice for guys like him who’ve been right here for thus lengthy to in the end get that large deal and keep in New York.
It’s implausible to have an possession and a entrance workplace that’s so dedicated to successful. I believe that’s why we’re getting so many wonderful gamers and guys who wish to keep right here. Guys wish to keep right here and guys wish to play right here.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com