The Mets are adding Jeff Albert to their uniformed coach staff, reports Jeff Passan of ESPN. Previously the director of hitting development, he will run the club’s hitting program next year. Passan doesn’t explicitly say what Albert’s title will be, though he notes that the club plans add another hitting coach to complement him.
It’s possible Albert ends up with a classic hitting coach title, though some clubs get creative with these kinds of things. Perhaps the Mets will call him an offensive coordinator or a senior director of hitting strategy or something like that.
Either way, the larger point is that he’ll be atop the club’s hitting hierarchy. He previously served as the hitting coach for the Cardinals from 2019 to 2022. It’s always tough to separate the contributions of a coach from the players on his team, but for what it’s worth, the Cards slashed a combined .246/.321/.411 during Albert’s time with that club. That translated to a league-average wRC+ of 100.
He decided not to return to the Cards after that 2022 season, even though they were planning to offer him a multi-year extension. He was then hired by the Mets as director of hitting development and has been working with the club’s minor leaguers for the past three years.
After a disappointing 2025 season, the Mets are making a number of notable coaching changes. The offense wasn’t a big part of the club’s poor performance, as their .249/.326/.427 line led to a 112 wRC+, a mark that was bested by just three MLB teams. Regardless, hitting coaches Eric Chavez and Jeremy Barnes are two of the guys who won’t be coming back. Albert will step up and take over, though as mentioned, another hitting coach will be added at some point. It’s unclear if that additional hitting coach will be an internal hire or if the Mets will conduct an external search.
Photo courtesy of Jeff Curry, Imagn Images
Good luck to Jeff Albert.
More an observation unrelated to Albert. The Mets cleaned house with a lot of coaches except for the main coach/manager in charge: Mendoza. Not saying it’s wrong or right, but it is curious.
That’s not uncommon. It’s a shot across Mendoza’s bow, though… make the playoffs or else in ‘26. His seat will be warm from spring training onward.
I will be stunned to f the Mets make the playoffs in ‘26. I think they’ll take a further step back. ‘27 or ‘28 seems more likely to right the ship.
@horaceallen What makes you say that? They already have a projected ~$258M ’26 payroll and a Juan Soto in his prime. I’d be stunned if the Mets don’t reload this offseason.
That’s a good question. Perhaps horaceallen has a crystal ball which allows him to know what happens this winter and how any new players might perform. I wish I could be so certain of the future.
Horace
How can you say that until you see what starting pitchers and other players the Mets get in the offseason?
Thought process there?
They also are keeping Antoan Richardson, as far as I know. Which is a great move.
Assistant to the Regional Hitting Manager
Which is a step up from the assistant to the traveling secretary.
Jeff Albert was the worst hitting coach that ever hit St. Louis!!
The only thing he knew was launch angle, launch angle, launch angle!
There were Several —- natural contact hitters — in particular, Nolan Gorman, who was a good rookie prospect — contact hitter with power potential.
Because he had power potential—- Albert insisted on changing his swing to a launch angle instead of contact swing.
Gorman hasn’t been the same since then!
Plus his strikeout rate has been sky high !!!
Gorman has never been a contact hitter….
Contact is actually a glaring weakness, it’s why he can’t get to his power. Jeff Albert has nothing to do with Gorman’s struggles, as Gorman has shown us through 3 consecutive hitting coaches.
I guess that means that Stearns and the people he talks to are lacking in expertise. Thanks for letting us know.
A consistent 27% strikeout rate throughout his minors career does not say contact hitter.
Gorman was never a contact hitter. In the Minors and in the Majors, he’s struck out way more than league average.
This signing baffles the hell out of me as well. The way these signings are beginning, looks like the titanic is taking on water faster than before. Will sit back and see what happens this offseason and proceed from there.
Jeff Albert already worked for the Mets once before. He ran to NY because there was too much pressure and blame in St. Louis. This is the guy who got Mike Shildt fired.
I wish the Mets the best of luck. This guy won’t fix anything for you.
DonOsbourne —-
You hit the nail on the head about
Jeff Alberts!!!