Most players claim to ignore their spring training numbers, but Jeff McNeil isn’t afraid to admit he will be paying attention to his once the Grapefruit League season begins next month.
After two straight seasons in which he produced at underwhelming levels before the All-Star break, the Mets second baseman wants to arrive at Opening Day already in form, as a continuation of what he hopes will be a strong showing in camp.
“I want to see some good numbers in spring training this year,” McNeil told Post Sports+ this week. “I think that will help me out. I didn’t have the year I wanted, so you want to do well in spring training. You haven’t played in four or five months, so it is tough to get off to a hot start in spring training, but those last few weeks of camp you want to be hitting the ball well and driving the ball a little bit and have that roll over.”
McNeil produced at an anemic .216/.276/.314 clip before the All-Star break last season. After changing his approach — with an emphasis placed on driving the ball — McNeil began to surge before getting drilled by a pitch that fractured his right wrist in early September. McNeil returned to play against the Dodgers in the NLCS in October.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
