Mets' Jeff McNeil given one of highest chances in MLB to be traded

Billy Heyen

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Mets' Jeff McNeil given one of highest chances in MLB to be traded image

On Tuesday, ESPN insiders Jeff Passan and Kiley McDaniel ranked 25 MLB players likely to be traded this offseason.

The rankings were done not in order of likelihood to be traded, but by how they regarded each player's value in a potential trade.

The No. 25 and final player on the list was New York Mets contact hitter Jeff McNeil.

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And for each player, Passan and McDaniel listed a percentage chance of that player actually being moved this offseason.

The highest percentage on the list of 25 was the 80% chance they gave to McNeil.

"The acquisition of Marcus Semien took away McNeil's at-bats at second base, and he's not a great defensive outfielder, which, for a team looking to shore up its fielding, is suboptimal," Passan and McDaniel write. "The expectation, then, is that McNeil will be dealt, even if New York needs to eat some of his $15.75 million deal (with a $2 million buyout on an option for 2027)."

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McNeil isn't a perfect player, and he lacks the power that many teams want out of their players at this point in time, but he can still contribute.

"McNeil is a 'nice to have' utility player who can play capably all over the field and hit at a league average or better rate from the left side," the ESPN duo writes. "He'll be 34 in April, isn't an impact type of player and has had some injuries the past few seasons. But he's a valuable role player on a contender or a nice upgrade for a smaller-market club looking to upgrade its offensive floor."

There have also been reports of discontent between McNeil and Francisco Lindor. It's clear who would get shipped out if they need to be separated.

A McNeil trade seems more like a matter of when, not if.

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Senior Editor