METS NAME REMAINING 2019 MAJOR LEAGUE COACHING STAFF

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METS NAME REMAINING 2019 MAJOR LEAGUE COACHING STAFF

FLUSHING, N.Y., December 9, 2018 – The New York Mets announced today its remaining major league coaching staff by naming Chili Davis, the team’s hitting coach, Chuck Hernandez, the bullpen coach and Luis Rojas to the newly-created role of quality control coach.

“We are very excited with what we believe to be a well-rounded coaching staff with experience, extensive knowledge and strong instruction and assistance abilities,” Mets General Manager Brodie Van Wagenen said. “Our players will benefit greatly throughout 2019.”

“Brodie and I spent a lot of time finding the right mix of coaches,” Mets Manager Mickey Callaway added. “We’re especially glad to add an additional coach to the staff keeping pace with the industry standard.”

Davis, 58, has been a major league hitting coach since 2012 for three separate teams. He was Oakland’s hitting coach from 2012-2014, Boston’s hitting coach from 2015-2017 and was the Cubs hitting coach in 2018.

Under Davis, the Cubs offense led the NL with a .258 batting average and ranked second with a .333 OBP. In his three seasons with the Red Sox, Boston led the majors in runs scored (2,411), was tied for first in on-base percentage (.334), ranked second in batting average (.268) and third in OPS (.762).

Davis played 19 years in the majors from 1981-1999 where he hit 350 homers and drove in 1,372 runs. He was a three-time All-Star (1984, 1986, 1994) and won three World Series championships. He was originally selected in the 11th-round of the 1977 draft by the Giants and became the first Jamaican-born player to reach the majors.

Hernandez, 58, spent the previous two years as Atlanta’s pitching coach. He was the Braves’ minor league pitching coordinator in 2016. Prior to joining the Braves, he was the pitching coach for Miami from 2013-2015 and was an assistant coach at the University of South Florida from 2011-2012.

Hernandez was the bullpen coach for the Cleveland Indians in 2009 and from 2006-2008, he served as the pitching coach for the Detroit Tigers. He worked as a coach in the Rays’ minor league system from 1997-2003 and was the major league pitching coach for Tampa Bay in 2004 and 2005. He spent 11 seasons (1986-1996) as a major and minor league coach with the California Angels. Hernandez joined the Angels major league staff in 1992 and was named the pitching coach in 1992 at age 31 where he remained through 1996.

Hernandez was selected in the first round of the 1979 draft by the Yankees out of Hillsborough Community College (FL) as a left-handed pitcher. He reached Double-A before beginning his coaching career in 1985 with the Gulf Coast League White Sox.

Rojas, 37, will be in uniform and will serve as a conduit between the front office and coaching staff on all issues including game preparation, strategy and analytics.

Rojas had managed Binghamton, the Mets Double-A affiliate, the last two years and has managed in the Mets minor league system since 2011, compiling a .537 (550-474) winning percentage. This will mark his 14thyear in the organization. He guided Savannah to the South Atlantic League championship in 2013 and was named the South Atlantic League Manager of the Year in 2014. He led the Leones del Escogido to the Dominican Winter League title in 2015-2016.

Rojas played in the Orioles, Marlins and Expos/Nationals minor league systems from 1999-2005.