The New York Mets of the 1980s were one of the most successful, star-studded squads in all of baseball. While they only won one World Series, they left their fingerprints all over the game. They were brash, powerful, and cocky, but they were loaded with talent. They had a ton of attitude on and off the field, and they were literally despised by rival fans. And, at one point, standing in the middle of it all was 21-year-old baseball phenom Gregg Jefferies.
Jefferies – a California kid the Mets had drafted in the first round of the 1985 MLB Draft – was considered one of the greatest prospects of all time. The switch-hitting infielder was named Baseball America’s Minor League Player of the Year in both 1986 and 1987, as he sped through New York’s farm system at a rapid pace.
For fans in the Big Apple, Gregg Jefferies represented the ‘next generation’ of their dynasty. Surely, he would lead them to more titles in the 1990s. That passion was fueled even further when the young star received a September 1988 call-up and hit .321 in 29 games played, helping spark the team to a 24-7 record overall down the stretch.
The Mets would capture the NL East Division title.
Meanwhile, young Gregg Jefferies looked like the world was his oyster.
Except… it didn’t turn out that way.
From Prodigy to Pariah
Going thru some stuff cleaning up – sup @Gregg_Jefferies pic.twitter.com/8Lq4DxpWAR
— Josh Welf (@J_WELF) October 21, 2023
The Mets would trade second baseman Wally Backman to make room in the lineup for the multi-dimensional prospect. As he started his career, he was the talk of town in New York, and fans scrambled to collect his rookie baseball cards. They essentially invested in Gregg Jefferies as if he were a stock being traded down on Wall Street.
The mass media in the City That Never Sleeps covered his progress incessantly and the hype machine was set on overdrive. Unfortunately, within a few seasons, it became apparent that things weren’t working out for the youngster or the team.
He didn’t fit in with the wild and wooly veterans – many of whom were party animals. They played hard, drank hard, and fought hard. Gregg Jefferies was different. He had grown up disciplined and dedicated to baseball. So much so that, as a kid, his father would write numbers on tennis balls and pitch them to Gregg. The younger Jefferies was challenged to see the pitch and call out what number was on it. The exercise was designed to improve his batting eye.
Baseball was his life, but the soap opera going on at Shea Stadium was overwhelming. Or, as the New York Post noted in a 2020 article, ‘Sending Gregg Jefferies to the 1988 New York Mets was like sending a choirboy to Sing Sing.’
The End of the Line in New York
May 24, 1991: In an open letter read on WFAN, Gregg Jefferies responds to the negative attention from fans writing: "I can only hope that one day teammates who have found it convenient to criticize me will realize that we are all in this together. If only we can concentrate more… pic.twitter.com/cPg32vSnVr
— MetsRewind (@metsrewind) May 24, 2023
Mired in a slump in 1991, Jefferies came under fire from fans and even some of his teammates. He responded by reading an open letter on the sports radio station, WFAN.
‘When a pitcher is having trouble getting players out, when a hitter is having trouble hitting, or when a player makes an error, I try to support them in whatever way I can,’ Jefferies stated. ‘I don’t run to the media to belittle them or to draw more attention to their difficult times. I can only hope that one day those teammates who have found it convenient to criticize me will realize that we are all in this together. If only we can concentrate more on the games than complaining and bickering and pointing fingers, we would all be better off.’
That offseason, Gregg Jefferies would be traded to the Kansas City Royals in a five-player deal that saw New York land former two-time Cy Young Award winner Bret Saberhagen. His time as the Mets’ ‘golden boy’ was over.
Gregg Jefferies Had a Solid MLB Career
Despite being viewed by some around MLB as a ‘bust,’ Gregg Jefferies had a 14-year career that was filled with more ups than downs. After a year in KC, he played his two best seasons in St. Louis. Playing first base, he hit a whopping .342 for the Cardinals in 1993 and followed it up by batting .325 in 1994. He was also named to the NL All-Star team in both seasons.
After departing the Gateway City, he would bounce around with the Phillies, Angels, and Tigers before retiring in 2000. He finished with 1593 hits and a .289 career batting average, 126 home runs, and 663 RBI.
In the end? Jefferies turned out to be just a very good player, but not the Hall of Famer many first envisioned him as. He forged a solid career, but he never had the sustained success to become a legend.
Still? For one magical time in 1988, Gregg Jefferies was the kid who had conquered the baseball world.
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Ryan K Boman is the author of the 2023 book, Pop Music & Peanut Butter: A Collection of Essays about Embracing Life with Laughter & Love. His previous work has appeared at The Miami Herald, SB Nation, Bounding into Sports, and Yardbarker. Follow him on social media @RyanKBoman.
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