The New York Mets didn’t just tweak their hitting staff this offseason - they overhauled it. And they did it with one clear goal in mind: create a unified voice across the organization when it comes to hitting philosophy.
That’s the real story behind Jeff Albert’s promotion and the hiring of Troy Snitker. Albert steps into a broader role overseeing the major-league hitting program, while Snitker takes over as the everyday hitting coach.
Gone is the dual-coach model the Mets had been using. In its place is a more streamlined structure, designed to get players, coaches, and front office decision-makers all pulling in the same direction.
But here’s where it gets even more interesting - and potentially impactful in the short term. Both Albert and Snitker bring with them deep ties to hitters the Mets are reportedly targeting.
These aren’t just hires for internal cohesion. They’re also relationship plays, the kind that could help tip the scales in free agency or trade talks.
Take Snitker, for example. He spent seven seasons as a hitting coach in Houston.
That’s a significant connection when you consider the Mets’ reported interest in Kyle Tucker. In a market where the money is massive and the pressure even bigger, comfort matters.
And familiarity with a hitting coach - someone who already knows your swing, your routines, your expectations - can be a real tiebreaker.
The Mets’ pitch to a player like Tucker is simple and compelling: Come to New York, join a lineup built to do damage, and work with a staff that already understands how to get the best out of you. That message carries more weight when it’s backed by real relationships, not just analytics and projections.
But let’s be clear: familiarity isn’t a strategy. It’s a bonus.
If Tucker ends up in Queens, it’ll be because the Mets offered the right combination of years, dollars, and a chance to win now. Snitker helps make the case, but he doesn’t close the deal on his own.
Then there’s the Paul Goldschmidt angle. Jeff Albert was his hitting coach in St.
Louis for four years - a stretch that included some of Goldschmidt’s most productive seasons. If the Mets really are exploring a first-base platoon featuring Goldschmidt and Jorge Polanco, that prior relationship could smooth the transition.
But it also raises questions.
Goldschmidt crushed left-handed pitching last season, slashing .336/.411/.570 in 168 plate appearances. That makes him a tempting part-time weapon. But if that’s the solution after losing Pete Alonso - a cornerstone bat with 40-homer power - it starts to feel less like innovative roster building and more like a patch job.
And that’s the tension the Mets are navigating right now. According to MLB.com, they were already sixth in the league in OPS and tied for ninth in runs per game.
So the offense wasn’t broken. But this offseason can’t turn into a victory lap just because the process looks cleaner on paper.
If Alonso walks, the Mets can’t replace his production with good intentions and coaching familiarity. They need real impact. They need bats that change games.
What the Mets have built is a hitting infrastructure that can foster alignment, buy-in, and long-term continuity. That’s a win. But if the plan boils down to “Tucker, please save us” and a first-base carousel built on nostalgia and partial solutions, then all the reunions in the world won’t be enough.
This front office has made smart, strategic moves. Now comes the hard part: turning that structure into a lineup that can go toe-to-toe with the best in baseball.