Baseball Prospectus | | Eyewitness Scouting Report


	Jeff McNeil Born: 04/08/1992 (Age: 23)
	Bats: Left	Throws: Right
	Height: 6' 1"	Weight: 195
	Primary Position: 2B
	Secondary Position: 3B

Thin, very little strength, not a frame build for additional weight; passed age of significant physical development.

Evaluator	Jeff Moore
Report Date	07/20/2015
Dates Seen	4/27/15, 5/4/15, 7/17/15, 7/18/15
Affiliate	St. Lucie Mets (High A, Mets)

MLB ETA	Risk Factor	OFP	Video
Late 2016	Low	45	No

Tool	Future Grade	Report
Hit	55	Upright stance; short swing path, pulls off of outer half at times, some issues with plate coverage leading to weak ground balls; average bat speed; strong barrel skills aided by extremely short swing; uncomfortable against left-handed pitching, flies open.
Power	20	No over-the-fence power, makes no attempt to dive the ball, swing geared entirely towards contact.
Baserunning/Speed	55	Average runner, consistently 4.15 range to first base, instinctive base runner, aggressive on base paths.
Glove	50	Second base only profile on everyday basis; would be overmatched at short stop if played there regularly due to limited range and arm strength; average range at 2B, average hands; tentative at times on ground balls at 2B, sits back on edge of dirt, knowing he has time to make the throw; could handle short stop in short stints but would be exposed; has quick enough first step to handle third base adequately.
Arm	45	Has enough arm for second base; can make routine left side plays would struggle to make longer throws on a consistent basis.

McNeil's profile is extremely limited by his complete lack of power and strength and his average defensive abilities, which make second base his best fit. He could play short stop or third base in short stints, giving him a potential future as a utility player, but he would be exposed at either position if he played their for an extended period of time.

Offensively, McNeil does have plus bat-to-ball skills which lead to high contact rates and the ability to spray the ball to all fields when he stays through the hitting zone. His hit tool plays down slightly, however, despite his barrel control because his lack of strength and authority in his swing limits the exit velocity on even those balls that are well-struck.

At best, McNeil can hope to carve out a roll as a utility/bench option, which will be possible due to being left-handed and not striking out much. He's not likely, however, to ever be an everyday player, as his flaws would be exposed with regular playing time.