The New York Mets are wasting no time in putting together the best possible team on the field to compete for a playoff spot in 2021. As it turns out, they are also fielding a very competitive group when it comes to coaches.
The New York Mets announced their full 2021 MLB coaching staff under manager Luis Rojas, who was confirmed as the skipper a few weeks ago by team president Sandy Alderson and owner Steve Cohen.
Dave Jauss will be the bench coach, as it was recently announced, and former Mets player Tony Tarasco will serve as the first base coach with additional outfield and baserunning duties, per a note from the team.
Among those returning from last season will be pitching coach Jeremy Hefner, hitting coach Chili Davis, assistant pitching coach Jeremy Accardo, bullpen coach Ricky Bones, third base coach Gary DiSarcina and assistant hitting coach Tom Slater.
Same Mets, new roles
Brian Schneider will be working in 2021 as the major league field coordinator/catching coach, after spending the shortened 2020 season as the Mets’ quality control coach.
The Mets will have another assistant pitching coach in Ricky Meinhold, who will join the major league staff while retaining his position as the minor league pitching coordinator. Meinhold joined the Mets in 2020 as the minor league pitching coordinator after a five-year career as a professional scout (2014–2019) and a pitching development analyst (2017–2019) with the St. Louis Cardinals.
The New York Mets will be fighting for a postseason spot, and making some noise once there. Last season was a disappointment, with a 26-34 record and a last-place finish in the National League East division.
This will be the first season with Steve Cohen as the majority owner, after he acquired the team from the Wilpons. Alderson is returning as the team president after spending eight years as the general manager in the 2010s.