3 Mets second base options for next season that don’t involve Jeff McNeil

It’s an insult to pickles to say the New York Mets are in one with second baseman Jeff McNeil. They’re in more of a gherkin with him.

The early contract extension with McNeil has gone in the wrong direction. Despite a second-half turnaround, there is a lack of trust. The team might be stuck with trying to make him fit somewhere next season. He’s not an appealing trade candidate for other ball clubs.

Second base has been his primary position for several years. The sharp decline for McNeil last season and more so in 2024 should have them looking at alternatives. Whether McNeil is here in some capacity or not, these three players should get their chance to play the position regularly.

1) Luisangel Acuna

An easy favorite to play second base for the Mets regularly in 2025 is Luisangel Acuna. We got some glimpses of him late in the season. A comfortable major leaguer whose best attribute is his speed, he didn’t get quite enough playing time to knock McNeil to the side completely.

Acuna is obviously not going to be much of a factor at shortstop with Francisco Lindor around. Only because of Lindor’s September back ailment was he even on the major league roster in the first place to play the position in the star shortstop’s absence. Acuna has received minimal opportunities in the outfield as a minor leaguer. However, it’s second base where he seems more of a natural at with the occasional innings in other spots as needed.

Thanks to McNeil’s versatility, Acuna could always see a door open up for him due to just about any random injury. McNeil is a safety net at multiple other positions. One spot neither of them should play is third base. We’ve seen McNeil not look quite the same at the hot corner. Acuna, despite being in multiple “hypothetical lineups” for next year on social media, has never played the position. Don’t count on all 5’8 of him to move there outside of an emergency situation.

2) Ronny Mauricio

Ronny Mauricio can inform Acuna on what it’s like to be an up-and-coming prospect the team doesn’t call up until September. It’s the situation he experienced in 2023. A much longer tenured member of the Mets, Mauricio was always a candidate to play shortstop until they acquired Lindor. This pushed Mauricio into the usual positions. His height makes far more sense at third base than it would with Acuna. Second base isn’t out of the question either.

Mauricio missed all of the 2024 season due to an injury he suffered in Winter League Ball. His removal from the team’s plans cut down the third base competition to Brett Baty vs. Mark Vientos. We’ve declared a winner there, unless Vientos ends up moving across the diamond or becomes more of a DH. It seems a little too abrupt to assume either scenario. In either case, Mauricio is battling alongside Acuna to be a second base option next season.

What makes this an intriguing scuffle is the two are different in just about every way. Physically different and gifted abilities that don’t match exactly, the first choice between the two should have more to do with who the front office believes is the better player and not what the ceiling can offer. Of course, there’s always a scenario where one of them ends up traded. It won’t be easy to move McNeil this offseason. Both could be fighting a losing battle.