Seattle Mariners: 5 offseason trade targets
Ed Stein
|
Jan 18, 2022
Jeff McNeil, New York Mets
2021 – Slash line .251/.319/.360 with 7 home runs, and 48 runs scored in 348 at-bats
Contract Status
A late bloomer, Jeff McNeil, made it to the Majors in 2018 at age 26. He’ll make $2.5M in 2022. From there, McNeil is arbitration-eligible and under team control for the next two seasons.
Pros
- McNeil is a left-handed Ty France at the plate. He has a career slash line of .299/.364/.459.
- An ideal table-setter, he averages just over a half a run scored per game.
- The Seattle Mariners like to move players around like chess pawns. McNeil fits in well; he can play second, third, and the corner outfield spots.
- Jeff McNeil would be a welcome addition for a team that strikes out as much as Seattle does. He has a career 12.5 percent strikeout average, with a high of 13.6 percent in any season.
- Who doesn’t want a guy nicknamed “The Flying Squirrel” on their team?
Cons
- Third base isn’t McNeil’s best position, but he is steady at second; Abraham Toro might have to move.
- As shown by his career and 2021 slash lines, McNeil is coming off his worst MLB season. He was plagued by injuries last season. Is he over them?
- McNeil has decent power, but not the kind that draws much attention. He’s mainly a singles and doubles-type hitter.
- Believe it or not, he’s never played against an American League West team.
A final thought on Jeff McNeil
Under new owner Steve Cohen, the New York Mets have aggressively acquired high-profile players. Consequently, they diminished their stock of minor league prospects. Trading McNeil is a great way to start rebuilding the farm system.
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