MACK - IN FOCUS - Jeff McNeil, Edwin Diaz, Pete Alonso, Nolan McLean, Jose Rojas, Jackson Cluff, Vin Scully

 

Jeff McNeil and his spot on the 2026 Mets

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The Mets will go into the 2026 season with high expectations to get back to playing competitive baseball. While the most significant issue entering the season will be how the pitching staff is adjusted, there are other holes that need to be filled on the roster. Outside of Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso (who is currently a free agent), the Mets infield was a rotating cast of characters. While Baty began to establish himself a third base more consistently, second base still is a question mark entering 2026. McNeil played 72 games there last season, second to Luisangel Acuna. Neither McNeil, Acuna, or Mauricio played especially well at the position, so it is unknown how they will move towards David Stearn’s intended run prevention ideology.

While McNeil didn’t play great second base, the value that he brings to the roster is that he is capable of playing nearly anywhere that you stick him competently. In addition to second base, McNeil also got reps at first base and all of the outfield positions last year. With the Mets looking towards contending in 2026, having a utility player that you can stick nearly anywhere is certainly an asset. If you were to emulate the current champion Los Angeles Dodgers, McNeil could certainly plug into a Kike Hernandez-style role of the utility player that could slide into a position and give the manager flexibility. 

X  -  Mets Negotiate to Retain Díaz and Alonso After Opt-Outs

Following the 2025 season, New York Mets closer Edwin Díaz and first baseman Pete Alonso have opted out of their contracts, prompting the team to initiate negotiations with preliminary offers. Díaz, the 2025 Reliever of the Year with 40 saves and a 1.75 ERA, faces interest from the Toronto Blue Jays and New York Yankees, while Alonso, who hit 38 home runs and drove in 126 RBIs, draws attention from the Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, and Houston Astros. Mets officials, including special assistant Carlos Beltrán, prioritize re-signing both players to strengthen their playoff contention amid a competitive free agency market.

Bleacher Report                        @BleacherReport

Top 100 MLB Prospect Rankings for the Offseason 

92. OF Edward Florentino, PIT 
58. IF Alex Freeland, LAD 

27. SS George Lombard Jr., NYY 

9. RHP Nolan McLean, NYM 

1. SS Kevin McGonigle, DET 

    MACK - McLean has rocketed up the top prospects lists, mainly due to his dominating demonstration last fall for the Mets. May be a true gem here.

 

Michael Baron                            @michaelgbaron

Mets signed INF Jose Rojas and INF Jackson Cluff to Minor League contracts with invitations to Spring Training.

Jose Rojas   

RF/3B/2B  5-10    200    LHH    36^th rd. 2016   Vanguard U. (CA)

Turns 33 in February

MLB Career -   -1.8-WAR, 224-AB, .188

2025 – AAA/NYY -   517-PA, 108-K 32-HR, 105-RBI, .287/.379/.599/.978

    MACK - this kind of dominating AAA bat could translate into a possible Mets platooned DH next season. Low K-rate for a boomer like this. Too bad he doesn’t play first.

Jackson Cluff    

Turns 29 next month    SS/2B/3B    LHH    5-11    180

6^th round 2019 – Nats – THE Brigham Young U. (UT)

2025 – AAA/WSH – 383-PA, 110-K, 12-HR, 40-RBI, .242/.349/.422/.771

MACK – looks to me to be a filler AAAA utility infielder for AAA-Syracuse

Jim Koenigsberger            @Jimfrombaseball

"I was born and raised in New York, born in the Bronx, grew up in Washington Heights. Our school was about 20 city blocks from the Polo Grounds.

School in those days let out at 2:30 and the games at the Polo Grounds started at 3:15—of course they had to be played during the day at that time.

I was a member of two city clubs, the 'Catholic Youth Organization' and the 'Police Athletic League', and because I was a member, I got to the games three times every week for nothing. You could go and sit in the grandstand and that’s where I fell in love with the game and followed my idol, who was a player named Mel Ott.

Now on weekends to sit in the bleachers, it cost 55 cents. Used to be you could bring a soda pop bottle back to the store for what they called a “deposit” and you’d get five cents back.

So, if I saved up enough bottles during the week, I could go for “free” to the game on Saturday and sit in the bleachers.

So that’s really where I grew up--literally and figuratively."

Vin Scully

Scully also admitted that as, "a little red-headed kid", he did his best to imitate the great Mel Ott's  swing, including his large right leg kick but, "something happened when I swung the bat, that did not do what Mel Ott did."