Jeff McNeil didn’t follow the traditional path to make a Major League Baseball roster as a former star golfer at Nipomo High School who played just one year of prep baseball as a Titan.
But now entering his ninth season at the top level of the sport, McNeil is still living his dream and looking forward to a fresh start.
A new addition this year to the Athletics (formerly of Oakland), now temporarily based in a minor league ballpark in Sacramento as the team prepares to move to Las Vegas in 2028, McNeil told The Tribune that he is enjoying his transition to a new club and continuing his MLB journey closer to home.
McNeil played eight years in New York, winning a batting title in 2022 with a .326 average, and putting up a career .283 batting average going into this season.
“It’s a dream come true to play in the big leagues in front of 40,000 people every night, which is pretty cool, but at the same time, especially playing in New York, it can be super stressful,” McNeil told The Tribune. “Playing Major League baseball brings a ton of different emotions. But this year is going to be a little bit different, hopefully a little bit more fun, and I’ll really be able to enjoy it.”
Jeff McNeil, seen here on Aug. 31, 2025, should make the Athletics’ situation at second base better since being traded by the New York Mets last week. Vincent Carchietta Getty Images
Recalling the pressure of playing well in the Big Apple, McNeil recalled the horde of reporters in the locker room after games. He described the atmosphere and media spotlight as being “a little bit crazy.”
“We have like two reporters in our locker room (with the A’s),” McNeil said. “In New York, you had 30 or so. It’s definitely a little bit different, and, I think, maybe a little bit more relaxing to play (with the A’s). You’re not so worried about what they’re going to say, all that kind of stuff, and just play your game.”
McNeil, 33, is expected to play second base for the A’s, joining a relatively young squad and still getting to know his new teammates.
“I’ve enjoyed meeting all the guys in the clubhouse,” McNeil said. “I’m one of the oldest, not the oldest, but there are a few of us over 30, and it’s nice to be one of the older guys. I think we have a great group of younger guys who are just fun to be around. I’m excited about this year.”
An unlikely journey from Nipomo to the big leagues
McNeil recently built a home in the Nipomo area with his wife, Tatiana, and their two young children, and he enjoys returning to his hometown around his busy MLB schedule. “I go back (to Nipomo High) in the offseason to hit a little bit, and people definitely see me around the town in the Vons quite a bit there,” McNeil said.
Looking back to his teenage years as a Titan, he played multiple sports, including basketball, golf and just one year of baseball.
Jeff McNeil makes a throw to third base during Nipomo High School’s game against Paso Robles on April 2, 2010. He hit .446 that year with seven home runs. Joe Johnston The Tribune
He excelled as a golfer, playing on the Nipomo High golf team in the spring for three years, aspiring to pursue a college golf scholarship. He even qualified for the 2009 U.S. Junior Amateur Golf Championship.
But he also played for summer baseball teams such as the California Wahoos in Santa Maria led by former Cleveland Indians scout Vince Sagisi, who encouraged his baseball career.
McNeil joined Nipomo’s baseball team his senior season in 2010, batting .446 with seven home runs and 30 RBIs.
Nipomo High School’s Jeff McNeil takes a swing against Paso Robles in 2010. Joe Johnston Tribune
That led to a college baseball opportunity at Long Beach State, where he made a big jump from a .258 average as a sophomore to leading the team in hitting with a .348 average as a junior, striking out just 11 times in 221 at-bats.
The Mets drafted him in the 12th round in 2013, and his pro career began.
Nipomo High School graduate Jeff McNeil was named to the New York Mets roster in 2018. He’s pictured here in the minor leagues. AP
“I could have played some college golf,” McNeil said. “I just feel like I never really got the scholarships or the eyes on me early enough to go and pursue that. But I feel like if I maybe got into college and was working on it every single day, who knows where I’d be in golf?” But McNeil said he was “able to get the right eyes on me baseball-wise.” “I got the college scholarship and didn’t know how far I could go in baseball,” he said. “I didn’t know if I was good enough to make it to where I am now. I thought I was pretty good. But there are a lot of good baseball players out there.”
McNeil, who was also a standout former Nipomo basketball player averaging 17.7 points per game as a senior, has donated to support his alma mater’s scoreboard at the school’s field stadium and the hardwood for the gym.
Nipomo High’s scoreboard recognizes Jeff McNeil among the sponsors. Nick Wilson
“(Nipomo athletic director) Russ Edwards reached out to me about it and said they’re going to get a new school board, and wanted some help with the funding,” McNeil said. “I know, they’ve been great to me over there. So was I was happy to help out and with their new gym floor as well.”
Among a group of MLB players with local ties, including Brooks Lee (San Luis Obispo High/Cal Poly), Dylan Beavers (Mission Prep) and Bryan Woo (Cal Poly), McNeil said he’s aware of the Central Coast success and pleased to see it.
“I worked out with Brooks a couple of seasons ago,” McNeil said. “I never met Beavers, but I know he’s from the area and doing well. I know we’re a smaller community. So, it is nice to see some guys from SLO succeed in the big leagues.”
What’s ahead for the new season with the A’s
Now well established in the game, McNeil says he’d like to eclipse a .300 batting average in 2026, a mark he has achieved four times in his career.
After an offseason surgery to treat thoracic outlet syndrome, addressing a vein issue, the left-handed hitter said he feels healthy and has found some rhythm in spring training.
McNeil said that modern-day hitting comes with the challenge of pitchers having a plethora of analytical information about how to attack hitters.
“There are no secrets anymore,” McNeil said. “They know what you can hit, what you can’t hit, where you hit it and how to position the defense, which is making the game a little bit more difficult.”
Asked if hitting is more mental or technical, he said “both.” “I think when you feel like your swing is right, you’re mentally a little bit better in the box as well,” McNeil said. “You’re a little bit more confident. I feel like if your swing is off, you doubt yourself a little bit up there, tryjng to figure out how to get a hit. So for me, if I get my swing right, it gets my mind right.”
Jeff McNeil of the New York Mets reacts during a game against the San Diego Padres at Citi Field on Sept. 18, 2025, in the Queens borough of New York City. Ishika Samant Getty Images
He hopes to turn around a couple sub-par years for him in New York in which he batted .238 in 2024 and .243 in 2025 while battling through injuries.
“Everything feels good,” McNeil said. “I feel ready for the season. I want to just go out there, try to do the best I can and help this team win. I know this team is younger, but we got a lot of talent. We could surprise people this year.”
Assessing his MLB experience, McNeil said: “I feel like I’ve had a tremendous career. I’ve been lucky enough to win a batting title. I have a couple of All-Star years. So, it is pretty exciting to see going from one year of high school baseball to the big leagues. And you know what I’ve done here, I think is pretty cool.”
This story was originally published March 17, 2026 at 11:49 AM.
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Nick Wilson is a Tribune contributor in sports. He is a graduate of UC Santa Barbara and UC Berkeley and is originally from Ojai.