Jeff Duncan

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked New York Mets #17 prospect in 2003
  If Prentice Redman can't become the Mets' center fielder of the future, perhaps Duncan can. He's more of a leadoff hitter than Redman, so Duncan possibly could fill two voids. A quality athlete who was an all-Illinois hockey player in high school, he earned a spot on the 40-man roster this winter after making some major adjustments during 2002. He couldn't shake his aluminum-bat swing during his first two pro seasons, but redeveloped his approach at the plate last year. He started to use the lower half of his body after swinging primarily with his arms earlier in his career. He also stayed through the ball and drove pitches to all fields, enabling him to hit .373 between two Class A affiliates. While his bat has solid pop, Duncan also has small-ball skills. He draws lots of walks, has gone 86 for 96 (90 percent) as a pro basestealer and has improved his bunting. A smart baserunner and excellent defensive outfielder, Duncan was old for Class A at 23 and must prove his performance was no fluke when he steps up to Double-A this year. He also needs to stay healthy. Duncan broke his arm when hit by a pitch in 2001, then broke his nose last year when he walked into a bat being swung during pregame drills.