Neely attended Winston Churchill High School in San Antonio, Texas and played college baseball at the University of Texas at Austin, Iowa Western Community College and Ohio State University.[1]
The New York Yankees selected Neely in the 11th round, with the 333rd overall pick, of the 2021 Major League Baseball draft.[2] Neely signed with the Yankees and made his professional debut with the Single–A Tampa Tarpons.
Neely split the 2022 season between Tampa and the High–A Hudson Valley Renegades, accumulating a 3.58 ERA with 87 strikeouts and 7 saves across 38 relief outings.[3] In 2023, Neely played with Hudson Valley and the Double–A Somerset Patriots, registering a combined 6–5 record and 2.17 ERA with 100 strikeouts and 7 saves over 42 games out of the bullpen.[4] Neely began the 2024 campaign with Somerset, and was promoted to the Triple–A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders in June.
On July 30, 2024, the Yankees traded Neely and Ben Cowles to the Chicago Cubs in exchange for pitcher Mark Leiter Jr.[5] He made six scoreless appearances for the Triple–A Iowa Cubs, striking out 13 batters and recording three saves. On August 20, Neely was selected to the 40-man roster and promoted to the major leagues for the first time.[6] In six games for the Cubs during his rookie campaign, he struggled to a 9.00 ERA with seven strikeouts over six innings of work.
Neely was optioned to Triple-A Iowa to begin the 2025 season.[7] In 28 appearances for Iowa, Neely accumulated an 0–2 record and 6.23 ERA with 39 strikeouts and five saves across 30+1⁄3 innings pitched.
Neely was again optioned to Triple-A Iowa to begin the 2026 season.[8] However, on March 25, 2026, Neely was designated for assignment by the Cubs.[9] He cleared waivers and was sent outright to Iowa on March 29.[10]
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