Source: Mets keeping Eric Chavez, Jeremy Barnes as hitting coaches for 2024
Eric Chavez at New York Mets photo day at Clover Park on Feb. 23, 2023 in Port St. Lucie, Florida. Credit: Getty Images
Carlos Mendoza’s coaching staff in his first year as Mets manager will include two more familiar names: Eric Chavez and Jeremy Barnes, who the team will retain in 2024 as co-hitting coaches, a source told Newsday on Friday.
They join pitching coach Jeremy Hefner as confirmed holdovers from Buck Showalter’s group, with several more positions — including bench coach, infield coach and outfield coach — to be determined. Former Mets manager Willie Randolph, whom Mendoza mentioned he considers a mentor and a friend, remains in the mix for bench coach.
Mendoza said on Tuesday at his introductory news conference that hiring coaches would be a group effort, with him and president of baseball operations David Stearns having a say. They both referred to it as “a big puzzle.”
“We’re talking about building a culture, right?” Mendoza said. “Looking for people who are going to bring energy, who are going to earn the respect from players, who are going to be consistent, who are going to be prepared, who have leadership skills, who are going to be able to communicate, who are going to be able to have that tough conversation, who are going to be able to hold people accountable. That’s what we’re looking for.”
Stearns said: “For any manager, you're trying to give them a support system both in terms of coaching staff and front office support that sets them up to succeed and gives them what they want and what they need.”
With Chavez and Barnes both back on the hitting side specifically, as SNY first reported, the Mets will return to their 2022 setup, when Chavez was the hitting coach and Barnes was the assistant hitting coach.
In 2023, after other clubs were interested in hiring Barnes, they rejiggered the roles, promoting Barnes to lead hitting coach and bumping Chavez up to bench coach.
Chavez, 45, played 17 seasons in the majors with the Athletics, Yankees and Diamondbacks. Barnes, 36, transitioned to coaching after a brief minor-league career and initially was hired by the Mets prior to the 2021 season to help run the farm system.
Alvarez on Mendoza
Francisco Alvarez is “super proud,” he said, to have a fellow Venezuelan managing the Mets.
Their hiring of Carlos Mendoza apparently has gone over well in their home country, converting lots of folks into Mets supporters, according to Alvarez, who noted that he had an introductory phone call with Mendoza recently.
“It’s pretty much the talk of the country right now,” he said through an interpreter. “Everyone is now turning into Mets fans over there. That’s all anyone talks about.”
Alvarez spoke outside of a community center in the Bronx, where he was participating in the Mets’ annual five-borough turkey giveaway.
Tim Healey is the Mets beat writer for Newsday. Born on Long Island and raised in Connecticut, Tim has previously worked for the South Florida Sun Sentinel, the Boston Globe and MLB.com. He is also the author of “Hometown Hardball,” a book about minor league baseball in the northeast.
