When discussing the career trajectory of New York Mets star Jeff McNeil, writers often say that he was a “late bloomer.” True, McNeil did not make his major league debut until age 26, having toiled around the minor leagues for several years after being drafted out of college. But when closely examining McNeil’s path to the big leagues and almost immediate success, it is clear that he has made a name for himself in a very similar fashion to Mets ace Jacob deGrom.
Though deGrom and McNeil are now indispensable to the Mets’ roster, their baseball careers both began in rather unassuming fashion.