If you’re a New York Mets player, you’re under contract and you’re not an established star, you’re basically trade bait right now. That’s especially true of erstwhile second baseman Jeff McNeil, who’s being actively shopped for a number of reasons, according to Will Sammon of The Athletic.
McNeil’s age is the most obvious one. He’s 33, and the Mets want to get younger, plus they want to improve defensively. McNeil’s market has improved some now that he’s completed a surgical procedure for thoracic outlet syndrome, which may have been one reason for the infielder’s September slump.
McNeil’s primary value is his versatility. He played all three outfield positions for the Mets this year, and he also shifted over to first base at times. GM David Stearns is looking for run prevention, though, and McNeil definitely doesn’t provide that in the outfield.
He’s considered average at second, and McNeil does have some value at first base. But the Mets are likely going to be looking for some serious production there if they decide to move on from first baseman Pete Alonso, so that rules him out as an option.
McNeil doesn’t provide a lot of value offensively, either. He hit .243 last year with 12 home runs, and his overall slash line was .243/.335/.411. Those numbers scream "utility infielder" who can fill in for an extended stretch if necessary, and that description doesn’t fit the Mets' needs. He’s also set to make $15.75 million in 2026, which is a little pricey for a 33-year old utility player.
The big question about a potential McNeil trade is whether it would be a straight-up, one-for-one deal, or if he’d be better as part of a larger package. If the former is the case, he’d likely draw a low-level prospect in return, which might be attractive if the Mets were in a rebuild. But they’re in win-now mode, so that possibility doesn’t hold a lot of appeal, especially for the cranky fan base.
His situation gets more intriguing if McNeil is part of a larger package. There are teams that might be willing to take on McNeil if the Mets decide to trade young starters like Brandon Sproat or Jonah Tong, which is a distinct possibility if the Mets decide not to spend on some of the pricier free agents currently on the market.
If the Mets are getting interest on McNeil, the time of any trade will be an intriguing signal. A quick trade to get his salary off the books would probably mean owner Steve Cohen is once again about to open his check book and go star-hunting again.