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Jeff McNeil 2020 Outlook: A Little Bit of Everything
5 years agoTo fairly assess Jeff McNeil, we need to dispense with the myth that he came out of nowhere. It’s true that McNeil was a 12th round pick who was regarded as a fringe player with minimal power. However, from the time he was drafted until the Mets called him up in 2018, McNeil posted a 136 wRC+ in the minor leagues. In 800 MLB plate appearances, he’s generated a wRC+ of 141 with a .174 ISO and .321 BA. His 23 home runs last year came in his age-27 season – well established as an point when many hitters break out or develop newfound power. McNeil will have second base and outfield eligibility everywhere. He also started 16 games at third, so he’ll be eligible for the hot corner in most leagues. McNeil did outperform his peripherals last year. His .385 wOBA was ahead of his .355 xwOBA, but even that was incrementally better than Eugenio Suarez and Ozzie Albies. McNeil’s ADP of 85 will make him a useful if unsexy option. Owners should not count on McNeil to repeat the same power output, but they can expect a .310 batting average, 19 home runs, 88 runs, 73 RBI, and 5 SB.
