The New York Mets and two-time All-Star, 2022 MLB Batting Champion Jeff McNeil, have agreed on a contract extension. This news was just broken by Jeff Passan of ESPN, who shared details on the contract.
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New York Mets and Jeff McNeil reach on four-year contract extension:
Per Passan, the Mets signed McNeil to a four-year deal that is worth $50 million ($12.5 million per year), pending a physical. Also, Passan made note that there is a fifth-year club option that is included in this deal. It takes the potential value of this new contract for McNeil up to $63.75 million. The duration of this deal keeps McNeil in Queens through at least 2026, his age-34 season.
This is undoubtedly some thrilling news for the Mets. McNeil was eligible for arbitration this offseason. He and the Mets recently were a part on a 2023 salary by $1.5 million. Instead of allowing that process to carry out and linger on into a later point in the offseason through arbitration, clearly, both the Mets and McNeil were both just motivated to get a multi-year deal done here.
McNeil is still 30 years old, turning 31 in early April. He is now going into his sixth year with the Mets. McNeil has a career batting average of .307 and hit a ridiculous .326 in 2022, which was the best in Major League Baseball.
Signing McNeil, getting a long-term deal done was something Mets fans had voiced as a top priority this offseason. Steve Cohen and Billy Eppler were able to get it done with McNeil and his representation fairly early. Now, McNeil can focus on continuing to be the dominant, contact hitter that he has been with the Mets for the last five years and be the core asset they need for their high aspirations of winning a World Series.