The Mets made the hiring of Kai Correa and the promotion of Jeff Albert official on Wednesday, naming Correa the bench coach for the 2026 season and Albert the director of Main League hitting. The entrance workplace was in a position to preserve these strikes beneath wraps, with out something even leaking about interviews for the open positions on supervisor Carlos Mendoza’s teaching workers.
Usually, that is how president of baseball operations David Stearns likes to function. He makes the choices, lots of which include enter from his workers that he has solicited, and acts on them shortly, usually earlier than there’s any probability for a rumor to spin uncontrolled.
It’s unclear as as to if or not the Mets have been interviewing a number of candidates for the open jobs, or if these two had lengthy been recognized as replacements for his or her predecessors. What these hirings inform us is that the Mets are going to proceed constructing out a data-driven infrastructure.
Albert, 44, helped the Mets minor leaguers perceive the analytical and scouting data and the way to greatest use it in an effort to organize younger hitters for the experiences they might obtain day by day within the massive leagues. Correa, 37, is alleged to be a wonderful trainer of infield fundamentals, and a whiz with regards to defensive analytics and game-planning.
Whereas he didn’t play at a excessive degree, the previous Division III infielder has been described as a coach who successfully blends the human facet of the sport with the info. The outcomes Correa acquired in Cleveland have been robust. The Guardians ranked second total in fielding run worth over the 2 years Correa ran the protection, had the Eleventh-most outs above common and the fourth-most defensive runs saved.
GOLD GLOVE OMISSIONS
Catcher Luis Torrens and left-hander David Peterson have been the Mets’ solely nominees for the Rawlings Gold Glove Awards this yr, with the nominees being introduced Wednesday. Notably absent was Juan Soto and Francisco Lindor. Soto regressed defensively this season, along with his -13 FRV in 2025 rating because the second-worst of his profession (-17 in 2022). His -12 OAA was disappointing contemplating he had improved his protection within the two seasons prior, however he was usually gradual on balls down the road and runners knew they may take additional bases in opposition to him.
Tyrone Taylor managed a variety of catches in right-center subject, with Soto joyful to let the middle fielder work his acrobatic magic. Soto lauded Taylor usually, saying he admired his defensive instincts and athleticism. Taylor had the Tenth-best FRV in baseball and the fifth-highest within the NL (eight), however the three NL nominees — Pete Crow-Armstrong (Chicago Cubs), Jacob Younger (Washington Nationals), Victor Scott II (St. Louis Cardinals) — all maintained a particularly excessive degree of play in additional innings.
Lindor had a down season defensively, not less than comparatively talking. The shortstop was nonetheless one of many high shortstops in baseball, however FRV of three and his 5 OAA have been effectively under what we’ve come to anticipate from him, and effectively under his metrics from 2024, when he was a finalist for the NL MVP Award.
When transferring laterally towards third, Lindor had -5 OAA. At occasions, he tried too exhausting to get to balls that ought to have been the duty of the third baseman, which may additional illustrate the significance of solidifying the place subsequent season.
QUICK HITTERS
The baseball season is lengthy, and with a lot downtime, you be taught just a few issues in regards to the gamers and coaches. Listed below are just a few of the issues I realized about among the Mets in 2025.
– Rookie pitcher Jonah Tong grew up watching the Toronto Blue Jays, so earlier than bench coach John Gibbons resigned just a few weeks in the past, the right-hander was excited to work with the supervisor who skippered his childhood workforce. Whereas he wasn’t precisely starstruck, seeing Gibbons after his big-league call-up was a “welcome to the big leagues” kind of second for the 22-year-old.– Tong’s girlfriend was not too long ago named the captain of her Canadian college hockey workforce, one thing he was exceptionally pleased with. Regardless of rising up in Canada, Tong admittedly was by no means good on skates, so the truth that his girlfriend can play ahead or protection has all the time been spectacular to the Mets’ rising pitcher. He was virtually beaming whereas speaking about her accomplishments on the ice.– Considered one of my favourite issues I realized about catcher Francisco Alvarez this season is that he has two pugs named Trinidad and Tobago.– Talking of catchers, as a lot as Torrens loves baseball, he additionally loves soccer. This isn’t essentially shocking given the game’s recognition in his native Venezuela, however his favourite workforce isn’t within the Americas in any respect — Actual Madrid. In the end, he needs his youngsters to do no matter actions make them joyful, however he did say that he’d be fairly joyful if his younger son ended up enjoying for Actual Madrid. A man can dream, proper?– Former Mets middle fielder Jose Siri is spending the winter in New England. Usually, he spends the offseason in Florida or his native Dominican Republic, however his girlfriend has ties to New Hampshire, so the tropics aren’t it for him this yr. Siri is hoping for a snowy winter.– Proper-hander Chris Devenski’s late mom taught him the way to pitch with a hackey sack. This was arguably one of many extra heartwarming tales to return out of the season.
