NY Mets hitting coach duo crosses off two checkboxes that'll satisfy fans

Following a 2025 season that ended in frustration and another October spent at home, the New York Mets organization promised a significant overhaul of its coaching staff. Under President of Baseball Operations David Stearns and manager Carlos Mendoza, the team moved quickly, parting ways with several key figures, including the incumbent hitting coach duo of Eric Chavez and Jeremy Barnes, after the offense struggled with consistency. The search for a new direction, a new philosophy, and—most importantly—proven winners, was on.

That search has now seemingly, and satisfyingly, concluded. A few days ago, the first domino fell when the organization announced it was promoting Jeff Albert from Director of Hitting Development to lead the entire major league hitting program. On Monday, the Mets landed the perfect complement, hiring former Houston Astros hitting coach Troy Snitker for the primary hitting coach role. In two swift moves, the Mets have assembled a new hitting instruction team that checks off two major boxes that should have fans energized for 2026: an MVP-developer and a World Series champion.

A new philosophy built on proven success

The hiring of Jeff Albert to lead the program signifies a clear philosophical direction. While the Mets’ 2025 offense had its stars, the team’s failure to develop its young supporting cast or find consistency was a glaring issue. Albert, who was already in the organization, is highly regarded for his data-driven approach and success in overhauling the team’s minor-league hitting development. But for fans wary of a purely internal promotion, Albert’s MLB resume provides the necessary validation. Before joining the Mets, he was the hitting coach for the St. Louis Cardinals from 2019 to 2022. In his final year there, he was the chief architect behind Paul Goldschmidt’s dominant campaign, which culminated in the first baseman winning the 2022 National League MVP Award.

If Albert brings the MVP pedigree, Snitker brings the championship ring. Snitker, the 36-year-old son of former Atlanta Braves manager Brian Snitker, joins the Mets after a long and successful tenure in Houston. He was the Astros' big-league hitting coach from 2019 until the end of the 2025 season, a period of sustained offensive dominance. During his time there, Houston’s offense ranked second in all of baseball in wRC+ (111) and posted the lowest strikeout rate in the majors. He was instrumental in the development of stars like Yordan Alvarez, Kyle Tucker, and Jeremy Peña, and he was the man guiding the offense when the Astros won the 2022 World Series.

This new partnership is a reunion of sorts, as both men come from the vaunted Astros organization; Albert served as Houston’s assistant hitting coach in 2018, the year before Snitker took over the main role. They speak the same modern language of hitting, blending analytics with player development. This shared philosophy is key, as it looks to fix the "too many cooks in the kitchen" problem that former coach Eric Chavez publicly criticized. The Mets aren’t repeating that mistake; they are creating a clear hierarchy.

The expectation is that Albert, as the head of the program, will set the overarching strategy, implementing the successful, unified approach he fostered in the minor leagues. Snitker will be his expert lieutenant in the dugout, translating that philosophy into daily, hands-on work with stars like Juan Soto and Pete Alonso. For a fanbase demanding a modern approach and, above all, a winning culture, the Mets have delivered a duo that has already reached the pinnacle of the sport.