Jeff McNeil

{{Infobox baseball biography

| name = Jeff McNeil

| image = Jeff McNeil in the infield, March 25, 2023 (cropped 2).jpg

| image_size =

| caption = McNeil with the Mets in 2023

| team = New York Mets

| number = 1

| position = Utility player

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1992|4|8}}

| birth_place = Santa Barbara, California, U.S.

| bats = Left

| throws = Right

| debutleague = MLB

| debutdate = July 24

| debutyear = 2018

| debutteam = New York Mets

| statleague = MLB

| statyear = May 31, 2025

| stat1label = Batting average

| stat1value = .288

| stat2label = Home runs

| stat2value = 71

| stat3label = Runs batted in

| stat3value = 325

| teams = * New York Mets ({{mlby|2018}}–present)

| awards = * 2× All-Star (2019, 2022)

MLB batting champion (2022)
Silver Slugger Award (2022)

| medaltemplates = {{MedalSport | Men's baseball}}

{{MedalCountry | {{USA}}}}

}}

Jeffrey Todd McNeil (born April 8, 1992), nicknamed "Squirrel" or "Flying Squirrel,"{{cite web|url=https://www.newsday.com/sports/columnists/david-lennon/mets-jeff-mcneil-1.29178906 |title=Jeff McNeil making a (nick)name for himself with Mets |work=Newsday |access-date=October 7, 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://www.foxnews.com/sports/new-york-mets-jeff-mcneil-catch-netting |title=New York Mets' Jeff McNeil makes acrobatic catch into White Sox protective netting |publisher=Fox News |date=August 1, 2019 |access-date=October 7, 2019}} is an American professional baseball utility player for the New York Mets of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2018. In 2022, McNeil started the All-Star Game at second base, won the MLB Batting Title and the Silver Slugger Award.

Early life

McNeil attended Nipomo High School in Nipomo, California. He played baseball, basketball and golf. McNeil played three seasons of high school basketball and averaged 17 points per game as a senior.{{cite news |last1=Dominitz |first1=Nathan |title=NATHAN DOMINITZ: Jeff McNeil takes different road in athletic career |url=http://www.savannahnow.com/article/20140620/SPORTS/306209776 |access-date=July 24, 2018 |work=Savannah Morning News |date=June 20, 2014 |language=en}} McNeil focused primarily on his golf career until his disappointing performance in the 2009 U.S. Junior Amateur Golf Championship, after which his focus shifted to baseball.{{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/blog/new-york/mets/post/_/id/87730/farm-report-mcneil-acing-switch-from-golf|title=Farm report: McNeil acing switch from golf|date=May 28, 2014|publisher=ESPN}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/blog/new-york/mets/post/_/id/105958/farm-report-jeff-mcneil-a-two-sport-standout|title=Farm Report: Jeff McNeil a two-sport standout|date=July 1, 2015|publisher=ESPN}} Since the high school golf and baseball seasons are both in spring, he did not play baseball until his senior year, but was offered a scholarship to play college baseball at Cal State Northridge due to his performance in summer ball.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/mets/ny-sports-end-zone-mcneill-20180706-story.html|title=Mets prospect Jeff McNeil hadn't even played HS baseball before catching attention of ex-scout. Now he's tearing it up at Triple-A|website=Daily News|date=July 8, 2018 |location=New York}} He hit .446 as a senior and committed to play at Cal State Northridge.

After Northridge's coach left the school, McNeil changed his commitment to Long Beach State. In 2012, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Brewster Whitecaps of the Cape Cod Baseball League.{{cite web|url=https://pointstreak.com/baseball/player.html?playerid=318342&seasonid=12252 |title=#1 Jeff McNeil - Profile |publisher=pointstreak.com |access-date=January 9, 2020}} As a junior in 2013, McNeil had a .348 batting average with 11 strikeouts in 221 at bats; he was named to the All-Big West first team.{{Cite web|url=https://santamariatimes.com/high-school/nhs/nipomo-grad-jeff-mcneil-has-career-on-track-with-mets/article_d8dd5bd0-ca32-5a75-b266-bfec4bda59df.html|title=Nipomo grad Jeff McNeil has career on track with Mets|first=Joe|last=Bailey|website=Santa Maria Times|date=June 18, 2015 }}

Professional career

=Minor leagues=

The New York Mets selected McNeil in the 12th round of the 2013 Major League Baseball draft. After signing, McNeil made his professional debut that summer with the Kingsport Mets, hitting .329 in 47 games. He played 2014 with the Savannah Sand Gnats and St. Lucie Mets, hitting .292 with three home runs, 51 RBIs, and 17 stolen bases in 117 games, and 2015 with St. Lucie and Binghamton Mets, slashing .308/.369/.377 with one home run, 40 RBIs, and 16 stolen bases in 123 games. After the 2015 season, he played in the Arizona Fall League.{{Cite web |last=Trezza |first=Joe |date=September 1, 2015 |title=Mets sending three players to Arizona Fall League |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/mets-have-three-players-in-arizona-fall-league/c-146717230 |access-date=October 30, 2024 |website=MLB.com}}

File:Jeff McNeil at bat, Oct 09 2022 (cropped).jpg

In 2016, McNeil began using an unorthodox knobless bat given to him by Mets minor league hitting coordinator Lamar Johnson; he thenceforth began using knobless bats exclusively.{{cite news |last1=DiComo |first1=Anthony |title=Jeff McNeil uses unusual bat with no knob |url=https://www.mlb.com/mets/news/jeff-mcneil-uses-unusual-bat-with-no-knob/c-288872160 |access-date=August 6, 2018 |publisher=Major League Baseball |date=August 4, 2018 |language=en}} He played in only 51 games combined in 2016 and 2017 with Binghamton, St. Lucie and Las Vegas 51s due to numerous injuries.{{Cite web|url=https://www.reviewjournal.com/sports/aviatorsbaseball/finally-healthy-jeff-mcneil-shows-his-potential-with-51s/|title=Finally healthy, Jeff McNeil shows his potential with 51s|date=July 3, 2018|work=Las Vegas Review-Journal}} McNeil started 2018 with the Binghamton Rumble Ponies and was promoted to Las Vegas during the season.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/mets/ny-sports-mets-mcneil-harper-20180711-story.html|title=Harper: Jose Reyes is still starting for Mets while Jeff McNeil is hitting .393 in Triple-A, and it's just downright absurd|website=Daily News|date=July 11, 2018 |location=New York}}

=New York Mets=

== 2018 ==

File:Jeff McNeil (cropped).jpg

McNeil was promoted to the Major Leagues on July 24, 2018. He recorded his first Major League hit that night at Citi Field against Phil Hughes of the San Diego Padres on the first pitch he saw.{{cite news |last1=Ackert |first1=Kristie |title=Ackert: Mets still waiting to decide if Yoenis Cespedes needs surgery on night Jeff McNeil gets first hit in MLB debut |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/mets/ny-sports-yoenis-cespedes-dl-20180724-story.html |access-date=July 24, 2018 |work=Daily News|location=New York |issue=July 24, 2018}} On July 31, McNeil hit his first Major League home run, off Tanner Roark of the Washington Nationals. In his rookie season with the Mets, he batted .329/.381/.471 in 225 at bats. He led all MLB hitters (140 or more plate appearances) in batting average against right-handers, at .345.{{Cite web|url=https://www.fangraphs.com/leaders/splits-leaderboards|title=Splits Leaderboards |work=FanGraphs}} McNeil received one vote in the 2018 National League Rookie of the Year Award polling, placing him in a three-way tie for sixth place with Harrison Bader and Yoshihisa Hirano.{{cite web |title=2018 Awards Voting |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/awards_2018.shtml#all_NL_ROY_voting |website=Baseball-Reference.com |publisher=Sports Reference |access-date=November 14, 2018 |language=en}}

File:Jeff McNeil during a time-out, March 25, 2023.jpg

McNeil developed a reputation early in his Major League career as a "throwback" player notable for his high contact rate and low strikeout rate.{{cite news |last1=Jaffe |first1=Jay |title=Jeff McNeil is a Throwback |url=https://blogs.fangraphs.com/jeff-mcneil-is-a-throwback/ |access-date=April 29, 2019 |work=FanGraphs |date=April 24, 2019}}{{cite news |last1=Lupica |first1=Mike |title=They don't make hitters like Jeff McNeil anymore |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/jeff-mcneil-reminds-mets-fans-of-past-era |access-date=April 29, 2019 |publisher=Major League Baseball |date=April 18, 2019 |language=en}}{{cite news |last1=Anderson |first1=R.J. |date=November 30, 2018 |title=Robinson Cano trade rumors: Mets won't include prospect Jeff McNeil in potential blockbuster deal with Mariners |url=https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/robinson-cano-trade-rumors-mets-wont-include-prospect-jeff-mcneil-in-potential-blockbuster-deal-with-mariners/ |access-date=April 29, 2019 |work=CBS Sports |language=en}}

== 2019 ==

After playing second base in all but four defensive games during the 2018 season, McNeil spent the majority of 2019 in left field given that the Mets traded for second baseman Robinson Canó during the offseason.{{cite web |title=Jeff McNeil Stats |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/mcneije01.shtml |website=Baseball-Reference.com |publisher=Sports Reference |access-date=February 2, 2021 |language=en}} On June 30, 2019, McNeil was named to the National League All-Star team, his first selection. On August 5, 2019, McNeil recorded his 200th career hit in his 599th career at bat, becoming the fastest player in Mets history to 200 career hits.{{cite news |last1=Amato |first1=Laura |title=McNeil reaches 200 hits in fewest at-bats in Mets history |url=https://www.newsday.com/sports/baseball/mets/jeff-mcneil-mets-200-hit-mark-1.34698992 |access-date=August 7, 2019 |work=Newsday |date=August 6, 2019 |language=en}} In 2019, he batted .318/.384/.531 with 23 home runs and 75 RBIs. Of all Major League batters, McNeil swung at the highest percentage of pitches (59.9%) and the highest percentage of pitches inside the strike zone (85%).{{cite web|url=https://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=all&stats=bat&lg=all&qual=y&type=5&season=2019&month=0&season1=2019&ind=0&team=0&rost=0&age=0&filter=&players=0&startdate=2019-01-01&enddate=2019-12-31&sort=4,d |title=Major League Leaderboards » 2019 » Batters » Plate Discipline Statistics |work=FanGraphs |date=January 1, 2019 |access-date=October 7, 2019}}

== 2020 ==

Heading into the 2020 season, MLB Network ranked McNeil the fifth-best third baseman in baseball.{{cite news |title=Top 10 Right Now: MLB's best at each position |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/mlb-network-top-10-at-each-position |access-date=February 2, 2021 |publisher=Major League Baseball |date=February 8, 2020 |language=en}} In spite of that, McNeil again spent the majority of his games in left field for the Mets. In the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, he batted .311/.383/.454 with 4 home runs and 23 RBIs in 52 games. He became the first Mets player since David Wright in 2005–09 to have a batting average of .300 or more in three straight seasons.{{cite web |title=Batting Season & Career Finder |url=https://stathead.com/baseball/season_finder.cgi?request=1&sum=0&order_by_asc=0&order_by=year_id&qualifiersSeason=minpas&minpasValS=200&mingamesValS=100&qualifiersCareer=nomin&minpasValC=3000&mingamesValC=1000&min_year_season=1871&max_year_season=2020&lg_ID=lgNL&lgAL_team=tmAny&lgNL_team=tmNYM&lgFL_team=tmAny&lgAA_team=tmAny&lgPL_team=tmAny&lgUA_team=tmAny&lgNA_team=tmAny&exactness=anypos&pos_1=1&pos_2=1&pos_3=1&pos_4=1&pos_5=1&pos_6=1&pos_7=1&pos_8=1&pos_9=1&pos_10=1&pos_11=1&as=result_batter&offset=0&type=b&ccomp%5B2%5D=gt&cval%5B2%5D=.300&cstat%5B2%5D=batting_avg&bats=any&throws=any&min_age=0&max_age=99&min_season=1&max_season=-1&location=pob&locationMatch=is&isHOF=either&isAllstar=either&isActive=either |website=Stathead.com |publisher=Sports Reference |access-date=February 2, 2021 |language=en}}

== 2021 ==

Prior to the 2021 season, MLB Network ranked McNeil the second-best second baseman in MLB and the best in the National League.{{cite news |last1=Harrigan |first1=Thomas |last2=Randhawa |first2=Manny |title=Yanks' hitting 'Machine' is top 2B right now |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/mlb-network-top-10-at-each-position-in-2021 |access-date=February 2, 2021 |publisher=Major League Baseball |date=February 1, 2020 |language=en}} That season, he batted .251/.319/.360 with 7 home runs and 35 RBIs in 120 games.

== 2022 ==

For the 2022 season, McNeil changed his uniform number to 1 so newly signed outfielder Starling Marte could wear number 6.{{cite web |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/mets-jersey-numbers-revealed-max-030030065.html |title=Mets jersey numbers revealed for Max Scherzer, Starling Marte, Eduardo Escobar, Mark Canha |last=Smith |first=Alex |date=December 1, 2021 |website=Yahoo! Sports |access-date=March 25, 2022 |archive-date=March 25, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220325232734/https://sports.yahoo.com/mets-jersey-numbers-revealed-max-030030065.html |url-status=dead }}

On June 10, 2022, McNeil was named to the 2022 MLB All-Star Game as a representative for the National League, the second selection of his career. Originally chosen as a reserve for the squad, he wound up as the starting second baseman after Miami Marlins second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. decided not to play due to injury. He was the first Mets' position player to start an All-Star Game since David Wright in 2013.{{Cite web |title=Mets second baseman Jeff McNeil to start in 2022 All-Star Game |url=https://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/mets/ny-jeff-mcneil-all-star-starter-20220716-kuhr4ajljncuvikg7kgttxb2jq-story.html |access-date=July 17, 2022 |website=Daily News|date=July 16, 2022 |location=New York}} McNeil went 0-for-1 with a HBP and a groundout in the game.

McNeil finished the 2022 season with a .326 batting average, the highest batting average of all qualified major league batters, winning the National League batting title.{{Cite web|url=https://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=all&stats=bat&lg=all&qual=y&type=8&season=2022&month=0&season1=2022&ind=0&team=0&rost=0&age=0&filter=&players=0&startdate=2022-01-01&enddate=2022-12-31&sort=13,d|title=Major League Leaderboards » 2022 » Batters » Dashboard |work=FanGraphs}}{{cite news |title=Mets' Jeff McNeil wins NL batting title while sitting on bench in finale |agency=Associated Press |publisher=ESPN |date=October 5, 2022}} He was the first Met to do so since José Reyes in 2011.{{cite web |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/jeff-mcneil-wins-2022-national-league-batting-title |title=McNeil's 1st batting title 'a dream come true' |last=DiComo |first=Anthony |date=October 5, 2022 |publisher=Major League Baseball |access-date=October 5, 2022 }} He also became the first Met in franchise history to lead MLB in batting average.{{Cite web |date=October 5, 2022 |title=Jeff McNeil Becomes First Met to Lead Majors in Hitting |work=Metsmerized Online |url=https://metsmerizedonline.com/jeff-mcneil-becomes-first-met-to-lead-majors-in-hitting/ |access-date=October 6, 2022 |language=en-US}} McNeil had the lowest called strike plus whiff rate in the majors, at 19.0%.{{Cite web|url=https://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=all&stats=bat&lg=all&qual=y&type=5&season=2022&month=0&season1=2022&ind=0&team=0&rost=0&age=0&filter=&players=0&startdate=2022-01-01&enddate=2022-12-31&sort=13,a|title=Major League Leaderboards » 2022 » Batters » Plate Discipline Statistics |work=FanGraphs}} He described the season as a "bounce-back year" from a comparatively poor 2021.{{cite news |last1=Flanigan |first1=John |title=Mets' Jeff McNeil wins first career Silver Slugger Award |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/mets-jeff-mcneil-wins-first-235037360.html |access-date=November 17, 2022 |publisher=Yahoo! Sports |date=November 10, 2022}} It was described in The Athletic as "a massive rebound."{{cite news |last1=Britton |first1=Tim |title=Mets' McNeil wins NL batting title by one point |url=https://theathletic.com/3662167/2022/10/05/mets-jeff-mcneil-nl-batting-title/ |access-date=November 17, 2022 |work=The Athletic |date=October 5, 2022 |language=en}}

On November 10, 2022, McNeil won his first career Silver Slugger Award for second baseman. He was the first Met to win the award since Yoenis Céspedes in 2016.{{Cite web |title=Mets' Jeff McNeil wins first career Silver Slugger Award |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/mets-jeff-mcneil-wins-first-235037360.html |access-date=November 11, 2022 |publisher=Yahoo! Sport |language=en-US}} He also became the first Mets second baseman to win the award since Edgardo Alfonzo in 1999.{{Cite web |last=Sharkey-Gotlieb |first=Simon |date=November 11, 2022 |title=2022 Silver Sluggers: First-timers dominate, Trout earns 9th |url=https://www.thescore.com/mlb/news/2476147 |access-date=October 30, 2024 |website=theScore.com}}

== 2023 ==

On January 27, 2023, McNeil agreed to a four-year, $50 million contract extension with the Mets including a fifth-year club option.{{Cite web |date=January 27, 2023 |title=Sources: Mets, McNeil agree to $50M extension |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/35539926/sources-mets-batting-champ-jeff-mcneil-reach-50m-extension# |access-date=January 15, 2025 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}} On August 5, he hit the 50th home run of his career off of Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Kyle Gibson.{{Cite web |title=Jeff McNeil Home Runs {{!}} Baseball Almanac |url=https://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/home_run.php?p=mcneije01 |access-date=April 29, 2025 |website=www.baseball-almanac.com |language=en-us}} McNeil played in a career-high 156 games for the team in 2023, hitting .270/.333/.378 with 10 home runs, 55 RBI, and 10 stolen bases. On September 28, McNeil was placed on the injured list with a partially torn UCL in his right elbow. He additionally received a platelet-rich plasma injection, and avoided surgery.{{Cite web|title=McNeil goes on IL with partial UCL tear in left elbow|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/jeff-mcneil-ucl-tear-left-elbow|access-date=October 20, 2023|website=mlb.com|language=en}}

== 2024 ==

On September 6, 2024, McNeil fractured his right wrist when he was hit by a pitch from Cincinnati Reds pitcher Brandon Williamson, and it was revealed that he would likely miss 6–8 weeks, which ended his regular season.{{Cite web |title=McNeil has wrist fracture, will miss rest of regular season |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/jeff-mcneil-fractured-wrist |access-date=September 11, 2024 |website=MLB.com |language=en}} On September 8, the Mets placed McNeil on the 10-day injured list, ending his season after 129 games, in which he slashed .238/.308/.384 with 12 home runs and 44 RBI.{{Cite web |date=September 8, 2024 |title=Mets' Jeff McNeil: Placed on IL with fractured wrist |url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/mets-jeff-mcneil-placed-on-il-with-fractured-wrist/ |access-date=September 11, 2024 |website=CBSSports.com |language=en}} After missing the first two rounds of the Mets' postseason run, McNeil was added to their 26-man roster for the 2024 NLCS.{{cite news |last1=Gonzalez |first1=Alden |title=Jeff McNeil on Mets' NLCS roster; Dodgers without Vesia, Rojas |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/41774181/jeff-mcneil-mets-nlcs-roster-dodgers-vesia-rojas |access-date=October 14, 2024 |work=ESPN |date=October 13, 2024}} He hit two sacrifice flies in Game 5 and had a 9th inning RBI single in Game 6 against the Los Angeles Dodgers.{{Cite web |title=Jeff Mcneil Career Postseason Stats |url=https://www.statmuse.com/mlb/ask/jeff-mcneil-career-postseason-stats |access-date=April 29, 2025 |website=StatMuse |language=en}}

== 2025 ==

On March 13, 2025, McNeil suffered a low-grade right oblique strain and would begin the season on the injured list.{{Cite web |title='We've got to keep going': McNeil (right oblique strain) to miss Mets opener |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/jeff-mcneil-right-oblique-strain |access-date=April 17, 2025 |website=MLB.com |language=en}} On April 24, the Mets activated him from the IL and made his season debut the next day against the Washington Nationals.{{Cite web |date=April 25, 2025 |title=Mets activate C Alvarez, 2B McNeil from IL |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/44854683/mets-activate-c-francisco-alvarez-2b-jeff-mcneil-il |access-date=April 27, 2025 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}

International career

McNeil played for the United States national baseball team at the 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC).{{Cite web |date=January 21, 2023 |title=2023 Team USA World Baseball Classic roster: Jeff McNeil joins after Trevor Story's injury |url=https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/2023-team-usa-world-baseball-classic-roster-jeff-mcneil-joins-team-after-trevor-storys-injury/ |access-date=July 17, 2024 |website=CBSSports.com |language=en}} Across five games, McNeil had five walks and one hit (good for a .385 OBP), notably scoring two runs against Cuba in the semifinals.{{Cite web |title=Jeff McNeil |url=https://www.usabaseball.com/player/jeff-mcneil |access-date=July 17, 2024 |website=USA Baseball |language=en}}{{Cite news |last=Wagner |first=James |date=March 20, 2023 |title=U.S. Players Enjoy the 'World Series' Atmosphere at W.B.C. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/20/sports/baseball/world-baseball-classic-final-preview.html |access-date=July 17, 2024 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}} During the Championship Game against Japan, McNeil led off the seventh and ninth innings with the United States down 3–2. He was the only player to get on base in the final inning, working out a seven-pitch walk before opposing pitcher Shohei Ohtani retired the following three batters, resulting in a second-place finish for Team USA.{{Cite web |date=March 22, 2023 |title=In a storybook ending, Ohtani strikes out Trout at World Baseball Classic for Japanese championship |url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/arts/in-a-storybook-ending-ohtani-strikes-out-trout-at-world-baseball-classic-for-japanese-championship |access-date=July 17, 2024 |website=PBS News |language=en-us}}

Personal life

McNeil married his wife Tatiana (née DaSilva) on February 3, 2018, in Nipomo, California.{{cite news |title=DaMcNeil Wedding |url=http://www.tevinlimon.com/blog/2018/02/03/damcneilwedding |access-date=July 25, 2020 |work=TL Photography |date=February 10, 2018}} The couple adopted a dog, named Ms. Willow McNeil, during the 2019 season, which became "a social media sensation".{{cite news |last1=Yomtov |first1=Jesse |title=Jeff McNeil's dog got her dad's home run ball from a Mets fan |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2020/03/04/jeff-mcneil-dog-new-york-mets/4952418002/ |access-date=July 25, 2020 |work=USA Today |date=March 4, 2020}} They have two children, a son and a daughter, born July 2022 and October 2024, respectively.{{cite web | url=https://santamariatimes.com/sports/local/nipomos-jeff-mcneil-has-special-week-welcoming-first-child-and-making-second-mlb-all-star/article_27929ca7-eecd-5bda-bcdb-6fd40d668842.html | title=Nipomo's Jeff McNeil has special week, welcoming first child and making second MLB All-Star Game |work=Santa Maria Times| date=July 15, 2022 }}{{Cite web |date=October 4, 2024 |title=Mets Player Jeff McNeil Welcomes 2nd Baby With Wife Tatiana DaSilva McNeil After Epic Playoff Win |url=https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/mets-player-jeff-mcneil-welcomes-195605320.html |access-date=April 4, 2025 |website=Yahoo Entertainment |language=en-US}}

Despite giving up a professional golf career McNeil still plays regularly. He participated in the 2023 New York State Open and won the 2024 Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions celebrity division.{{cite web | last=Arnold | first=Christian | title=Mets’ Jeff McNeil misses cut at New York State Open: ‘Time to get back to work’ | website=New York Post | date=July 13, 2023 | url=https://nypost.com/2023/07/12/mets-jeff-mcneil-misses-cut-at-new-york-state-open/ | access-date=October 31, 2024}}{{cite web | last=Nichols | first=Beth Ann | title=Jeff McNeil, aka the 'Flying Squirrel', wins Hilton Grand Vacations TOC celebrity division | website=Golfweek|publisher=USA Today | date=January 21, 2024 | url=https://golfweek.usatoday.com/2024/01/21/jeff-mcneil-flying-squirrel-wins-hilton-grand-vacations-tournament-of-champions-celebrity/ | access-date=October 31, 2024}}