Rising Apple
FanSided

NY Mets top trade candidates at the start of the offseason

By Tim Boyle

PORT ST. LUCIE, FL - MARCH 10: A detailed view of the Franklin batting gloves worn by Yoenis Cespedes #52 of the New York Mets prior to a spring training game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Tradition Field on March 10, 2016 in Port St. Lucie, Florida. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
PORT ST. LUCIE, FL - MARCH 10: A detailed view of the Franklin batting gloves worn by Yoenis Cespedes #52 of the New York Mets prior to a spring training game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Tradition Field on March 10, 2016 in Port St. Lucie, Florida. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 8
Next
mets
Sep 19, 2021; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets left fielder Jeff McNeil (6) rounds the bases after hitting a home run during the seventh inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports /

7) NY Mets trade candidate Jeff McNeil

Jeff McNeil is a core member of the Mets coming off a down year in 2021. You could replace his name with a couple and that last sentence would still be factual.

It was a rough year for McNeil. He didn’t hit for the same average he had in previous years. His value, both to the Mets and on the trade market, is at an all-time low.

For this reason, he’s not too high on my list. McNeil serves the Mets much better as a below-average player on their bench not making a whole lot of money. His defensive versatility makes him useful even if he’s not a .300 hitter playing every day. Add in the chance that he fixes whatever ailed him in 2021, the Mets have themselves a whole lot of depth moving forward.

In spite of having such a poor year, I would expect teams would have interest in McNeil. Fiscally frugal clubs who value his talents might be willing to even pay a price closer to what he was worth in previous years.

The odds of trading McNeil remain slim. The team seemed to still find ways to get him into the lineup late in 2021, instead resting a few others on this list in favor of him. This shows me they may like him a little more than they did in early September.

Home/New York Mets News