3 potential Craig Kimbrel for Jeff McNeil trades to consider
It became known before the holidays that the New York Mets were going to try and trade Jeff McNeil once the lockout is over. There are a lot of reasons why that may or may not be a good idea for them but the big detail there is “after the lockout”. We don’t know exactly when that will be but the Chicago White Sox needs to consider it when the time comes.
McNeil is coming off of a down year with the Mets but has had some really good ones before that. In 2021, he slashed .251/.319/.360 with seven home runs, 35 RBIs, and 48 runs scored. His OPS of .679 was the worst that he has had in his career up to this point by far so you can assume it will come back up in 2022. It was as high as .916 in 2019 when he was an NL All-Star.
If they can unlock the Jeff McNeil that existed before the 2021 year, they would be getting a borderline star player. Things went bad for basically every Mets player in 2021 so it shouldn’t be that much of a surprise. The White Sox should really consider him to be their new second baseman via trade. He could also play left and third from time to time which adds to his value.
Craig Kimbrel was a disaster for the White Sox after coming over from the Chicago Cubs but they didn’t use him right. If he went to the Mets and became a closer again instead of a setup man, he might get back to his Hall of Fame form.
The Chicago White Sox and New York Mets could make a Jeff McNeil trade.
The White Sox and Mets might be able to make a baseball trade with these two. Each of them has shown flashes of stardom in recent years but both struggled at times in 2021. If they wanted to make a swap, one of these three trades would make sense:
The Chicago White Sox could get a good pitching prospect in addition to Jeff McNeil.
Jeff McNeil and Craig Kimbrel both have something in common. They have both been publically viewed as trade bait and they both had bumpy ends to the 2021 season after magnificent stretches beforehand. With that in mind, Craig Kimbrel is probably worth a bit more for that reason and because he is a pitcher.
Dominic Hamel is the New York Met’s number 12 prospect in their organization right now. He is a right-handed pitcher that is expected to make his Major League debut in 2024 if all goes well. He was their third-round pick in the 2021 MLB Draft (81st overall). He has a lot of arm talent which is good for his potential development.
His two best pitches, according to MLB dot com’s scouting grades, are his fastball and slider. He also has a developing changeup and curveball. Growing these pitches and learning how to mix them up properly is the key to his development. The White Sox are historically good at that.
The White Sox are always going to be looking to take on young talent so that they can keep their organizational depth strong while competing at the MLB level. Adding a young pitcher like Hamel is a great start.
Jeff McNeil could also land the Chicago White Sox a very good infield prospect.
The Chicago White Sox are in a weird spot with Craig Kimbrel. He is a Hall of Fame reliever that they might have to trade because they can’t use him properly (or at least they are choosing not to). As a result, getting something for him after giving up two good players to get him is something that they need to do if they are going to trade him.
With Jeff McNeil of the New York Mets available, the White Sox might be able to get McNeil and one of their top prospects. One of those top prospects could be Jaylen Palmer. He is currently their number 16 prospect.
The Mets made him a 22nd round draft pick in 2018 and now he is getting close to making his debut. According to his MLB dot com scouting report, his best assets are his power, arm, and speed. They suggest that his MLB ETA is 2022 so he could play this year.
With the addition of Max Scherzer this offseason, the New York Mets have some really good pitching at the top of their rotation. Combining Scherzer with Jacob deGrom, they might have the best 1-2 punch in MLB history. Having an elite closer (if Kimbrel can reach that level again) would really give them a chance to be division champions.
Jeff McNeil for Craig Kimbrel could land the White Sox a potential first baseman.
Craig Kimbrel is one of the greatest closers who ever lived. He wasn’t very good during his time with the White Sox but most rational thinkers can figure out why that was the case. If he went to the New York Mets and was given the closer role right away, he would have a chance to be really successful on a good team.
Landing Jeff McNeil is one thing, especially if he can reach his pre-2021 form. However, for a player of Kimbrel’s status, they should be able to get that extra prospect. Even if it isn’t a prospect as good as one of the first two trades here, they should still be able to get one. Someone to consider is JT Schwartz.
The Mets selected Schwartz with their fourth-round (111th overall) pick in the 2021 MLB Draft. He spent time at UCLA and the Mets liked him and signed him. He is a first baseman. According to his MLB dot come scouting, he is best known for his ability to hit for contact. Everything else is still a work in progress.
If the White Sox were able to get Jeff McNeil, who could really help them in their quest for a second baseman, they could move Kimbrel which seems to be their plan anyway. If they were able to get another prospect to go with him, it is absolutely something to consider.
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