The Mets are adding Jeff Albert to their uniform coaching staff, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reports. Previously serving as director of hitting development, he will take charge of the club’s hitting program next year. Passan didn’t specify what Albert’s title would be, but he noted the club plans to add another hitting coach to complement him.
It’s possible that Albert eventually gets the classic hitting coach title, although some clubs get creative with that sort of thing. Maybe the Mets will call him offensive coordinator or senior director of hitting strategy or something like that.
Regardless, the more important point is that he will be the club’s leading batsman. He served as the Cardinals’ hitting coach from 2019 to 2022. It’s hard to separate the coaching contributions from those of the players, but regardless, the Cardinals slashed a combined .246/.321/.411 during Albert’s time with the club. This means the league average wRC+ is 100.
He decided not to return to the Cards after the 2022 season, although they planned to offer him a multi-year extension. He was subsequently hired by the Mets as director of hitting development and has spent the past three years working with the club’s minor leaguers.
The Mets are making some noteworthy coaching changes after a disappointing 2025 season. The offense wasn’t the main reason for the club’s poor performance, as their .249/.326/.427 line resulted in a 112 wRC+, a mark surpassed by only three MLB teams. Regardless, hitting coach Eric Chavez and Jeremy Barnes are two people who won’t be returning. Albert will step up and take over, although as mentioned, another hitting coach will be added at some point. It’s unclear if the additional hitting coach is an internal hire or if the Mets will conduct an outside search.
Photos courtesy of Jeff Curry, Imagn Images
