The New York Mets have kept manager Carlos Mendoza after a monumental collapse, but the same cannot be said for the rest of the coaching staff.
Earlier this week, president of baseball operations David Stearns parted ways with pitching coach Jeremy Hefner, hitting coaches Eric Chavez and Jeremy Barnes, and third-base coach Mike Sarbaugh. Bench coach John Gibbons resigned, and catching instructor Glenn Sherlock retired.
There are plenty of holes to fill, and they will be addressed as the offseason descends toward winter. Here are a few names to keep an eye on in the interim.
Willie Randolph
Randolph has been out of the majors for quite some time, which is still one of the more mystifying fallouts from his brutal firing as Mets manager back in 2008. He held bench-coach roles with the Milwaukee Brewers and Baltimore Orioles, but has not had a job in an MLB clubhouse since the 2011 season.
Regardless, Randolph’s name was floated as a potential member of the Mets’ coaching staff when Mendoza was hired prior to the 2024 season, and it could very well be considered again this time around.
Carlos Beltran
Beltran is recovering from the fall he was forced to take in the Houston Astros’ cheating scandal, which cost him the Mets’ managerial job shortly after his hiring in November 2019.
He was brought on in an advisory role ahead of the 2023 season, and his presence within the organization has been lauded ever since. This is a future Hall-of-Famer who wants to get back into the dugout, and Mets players love it when he is present. It seems like a no-brainer to bring him on as a bench or hitting coach.
Edgardo Alfonzo
Alfonzo was rising up the Mets’ coaching ranks, leading the Brooklyn Cyclones to a league title in 2019 before he was surprisingly let go by former general manager Brodie Van Wagenen.
While he spent the 2025 season as an advisor of the team’s minor-league coaches, he told amNewYork earlier this week that it would be “a privilege” to be included in Mendoza’s plans in the big leagues.
This is a versatile enough coach whose all-around prowess as a ballplayer makes a third-base and fielding coach role applicable. So could hitting or bench coach.
Ron Washington
Washington was dismissed from his role as Los Angeles Angels manager after a difficult season that saw him step away for an extended stretch due to illness. At 73, it’s unknown what his current appetite for a return to coaching might be, but his track record speaks for itself.
This was a highly-regarded third-base and fielding coach with the Atlanta Braves, who was a part of the World Series winner in 2021.
Eric Jagers
Jagers is currently serving as the Mets’ director of pitching development, and his work with the organization’s young arms has been undeniable. While there was underlying desperation, three of the organization’s top pitching prospects — Nolan McLean, Brandon Sproat, and Jonah Tong — made their MLB debuts late in the season in an attempt to save the season.
McLean looks like the real deal, while Sproat and Tong should challenge for spots in the rotation in the very near future. Keeping Jagers close would be logical.
JP Arencibia
Arencibia has served as the Triple-A Syracuse Mets’ bench coach for the past three seasons, but he is an obvious internal fit to replace Glenn Scherlock. He spent six years as a major-league backstop with the Toronto Blue Jays, Texas Rangers, and Tampa Bay Rays.
