Mets rookie infielder Jeff McNeil has reached base six times in the three games played since being promoted earlier this week. He has two hits, three walks, he's been hit by a pitch and scored one run.
"It felt amazing," McNeil said earlier this week after getting his hit and RBI. "You always want to get the first hit out of the way. ... It was unbelievable, something I've always dreamed of."
McNeil, who considers himself as second baseman, has played multiple positions during the past year, including third base and left field.
Mets manager Mickey Callaway recently said McNeil will need to continue playing multiple positions if he wants a consistent chance to succeed in the big leagues.
"He's a valuable asset at this point," Callaway concluded.
I was told by team insiders during late May that a legit debate occurred in the front office about promoting McNeil straight to the Mets from Double-A Binghamton in early June. However, they concluded it made more sense to use Ty Kelly as a fill-in knowing getting limited at bats.
Video: Jeff McNeil on first Major League hit
He was drafted in 2013, after which he suffered several injuries that threw off his development. During his rehab from surgery last season, McNeil decided to change his diet, build muscle and adjust his swing to increase his power. Clearly, it is working for him...
Prior to joining the Mets earlier this week, McNeil had been hitting .342 with a .411 OBP, 19 home runs, 26 doubles, five triples and 71 RBI in 88 games played between Double-A and Triple-A. He had nearly as many walks (36) as strikeouts (42).
This entire season has been a head-turning shift in McNeil's game. For a guy that had initially been using a Luis Castillo-like slap swing for singles and gap hits, he transformed his swing and has become a power threat striking out in fewer than 10 percent of his plate appearances.
The most unique thing about his pull-happy power is that his previous approach to hitting is allowing him to also shorten his swing and punch the ball to the opposite field against the shift.
The Mets may see him as a second baseman, but it's worth noting McNeil has played every position on the field except for pitcher and catcher during his professional career.
It's still too early to get a full read on him, though. He has shown a terrific sense of the strike zone, he can also be aggressive then adjust his swing if down in the count. Right now, as is often the case with rookies, McNeil is exploiting the opposition's lack of understanding about his approach. The key to predicting McNeil's success will be in how he adjusts when those pitchers begin to exploit his weaknesses. This all the more reason why he should be playing every day...
As rookies go, McNeil is not young. He has played six seasons and 426 games in the minor leagues since being drafted in 2013. In most cases, if a player is going to have a breakout season and become an every-day, big-league player, it typically happens before he's 27-28 years old. McNeil is 26. So, if he is going to break out and be a legit answer for the Mets, he has to play now and give the organization every bit of information needed to get a true read on his talent as a big leaguer.
By the way, all of the above can also be applied to Phil Evans, who is 25 years old with eight minor-league seasons under his belt. Evans, who joined Callaway's roster the same day as McNeil, has three hits in 14 at bats, during which he has struck out six times.
Matthew Cerrone (Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Contact) is lead writer of MetsBlog.com, which he created in 2003. He also hosts the MetsBlog Podcast, which you can subscribe to here. His new book, The New York Mets Fans' Bucket List, details 44 things every Mets fan should experience during their lifetime. To check it out, click here!
