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PORT ST. LUCIE — Jeff McNeil has hit in every single place, at each stage and in each season — till 2021 left him confused.
“One thing wasn’t proper,” McNeil acknowledged Monday. “It’s simply discovering no matter that was.”
The Mets’ second baseman regressed after posting a mixed .319 common in his first three main league seasons, tumbling to a .251 marketing campaign with simply seven residence runs in 120 video games.
There have been indicators McNeil’s breakthrough could possibly be coming — his common exit velocity was really the second highest of his profession — however it by no means arrived. He saved tweaking his method and adjusting his hand placement, which he now thinks could have harm greater than it helped.
It’s attainable a couple of completely different hitting voices — coach Chili Davis was fired final Might — didn’t assist, both. A season later with a batting coach, Eric Chavez, with whom he’s “on the identical web page” has McNeil hoping for higher and extra constant outcomes.
Over the offseason, McNeil seemed again at video clips of his at-bats in 2018, when he shot by the Mets’ system after which posted an .852 OPS in 63 main league video games.
“I feel in ’18 I had the identical swing the entire yr. You’ll be able to return and watch video from Opening Day within the minors to the final day within the massive leagues, and for probably the most half it’s fairly rattling shut,” McNeil advised The Publish. “I feel this yr, it’s simply when you’ve got a foul recreation, don’t change something.”
If analytics do trace at a much bigger drawback than dangerous luck with McNeil’s swing final season, it could come up from his ground-ball fee — a career-worst 46.6 p.c.
“Grounders are outs within the massive leagues, particularly with the shift,” mentioned McNeil, whose pull-heavy recreation has made him a frequent sufferer of shifting. “I do know once I’m going properly, I fly out to proper — that’s an excellent signal. Meaning my bat path is nice, you simply barely missed it.”
Supervisor Buck Showalter mentioned he can inform that McNeil is “in an excellent place.”
After a season that featured little hitting and an altercation with Francisco Lindor earlier than an offseason of commerce rumors, the Mets are hopeful he is able to bounce again.
“You’ll be able to inform he’s planning on going the opposite course,” Showalter mentioned. “He may imply lots to us.”
After a couple of rounds of cuts, the Mets’ main league camp is right down to 40 gamers.
Catcher Francisco Alvarez, the workforce’s prime prospect, headlined the record of prospects shuttled out. The 20-year-old went 1-for-4 with a house run in Grapefruit League play.
Additionally reassigned have been catcher Nick Meyer, infielders Brett Baty and Matt Reynolds, outfielders Jake Mangum and Carlos Cortes, righties José Rodríguez and Antonio Santos and lefties Rob Zastryzny and Josh Walker.
Moreover, righty Yennsy Diaz was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse.
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