Mets rookie Jeff McNeil explains why he swings a bat with no knob

It has been an unlikely journey this year for Mets rookie infielder Jeff McNeil. The 26-year-old began the 2018 season in Double-A Binghamton, where he was roughly two years older than the average player in the Eastern League. Going into this year, McNeil was known far more for his defensive versatility than for his bat: He didn't hit a single home run during his three years of collegiate ball at Long Beach State, and he had only hit nine dingers in nearly 1,458 Minor League plate appearances.

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This year, however, McNeil has made a name for himself almost entirely because of his bat. He launched 19 home runs in 88 Minor League games before earning a callup to the big leagues at the end of July, and hasn't slowed down much since, hitting .319 in his first 35 games for the Mets. In addition to some mechanical adjustments, another driving force behind McNeil's newly impactful bat has been, well, his actual bat!

Check out the video at the top of the page to hear McNeil explain what makes his bat unique, why his teammates have wanted to try using it (including Tim Tebow) and what his favorite parts about swinging it are.