New York Mets hire Troy Snitker as hitting coach and Justin Willard as pitching coach

NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Mets filled out the rest of their coaching staff on Wednesday, including hiring Troy Snitker as hitting coach and Justin Willard as pitching coach.

Snitker, the son of former Atlanta Braves manager Brian Snitker, spent the last seven seasons as the hitting coach for the Houston Astros before the club opted in October not to renew his contract.

Willard comes to New York from Boston, where he had served as the director of pitching since November 2023.

Snitker and Willard are joining a coaching staff that has undergone a major overhaul under manager Carlos Mendoza after the Mets failed to reach the postseason despite the addition of superstar right-fielder Juan Soto, who finished third in voting for NL Most Valuable Player.

The club had previously announced the hiring of Kai Correa as bench coach and the promotion of Jeff Albert to director of major league hitting.

Dan McKinney will serve as the assistant pitching coach. Gilbert Gomez will coach first base and work with the outfielders. Tim Leiper will coach third and work with the infielders. J.P. Arencibia, who spent the last three seasons as the bench coach and assistant hitting coach for Triple-A Syracuse, will work with the catchers.

Jose Rosado will return as New York's bullpen coach. Rafael Fernandez was promoted to assistant hitting coach and Danny Barnes will be the quality assurance coach.

The Mets also released right-hander Frankie Montas. The 32-year-old Montas had Tommy John surgery on Sept. 9 and is expected to miss the 2026 season.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb