The Syracuse Mets have announced their 2023 coaching staff for the 2023 season. With previous reports Dick Scott was taking over as manager, and J.P. Arencibia being hired as bench coach, we were aware there was going to be a major overhaul of the coaching staff, and from the announced coaches that is the case:
- Dick Scott, Manager
- J.P Arencibia, Bench Coach
- Kyle Driscoll, Pitching Coach
- Collin Hetzler, Hitting Coach
- Jordan Kraus, Development/Bullpen Coach
- Hiroto Kawamura, Athletic Trainer
- Vanessa Weisbach, Athletic Trainer
- Alex Tavarez, Performance Coach
Over the past two seasons, Scott has served as the New York Mets coordinator of coaching development and instruction. This will mark his tenth season as part of the Mets organization. Previously, he has served as a bench coach and Minor League Field Coordinator for the organization.
Arencibia has not previously been a baseball coach or manager serving the past few seasons as a television and radio analyst for the Miami Marlins. During his playing days, he became a renown pitch framer. Notably, this is one of the areas the organization is looking for Francisco Álvarez to improve upon before making him the catcher at the Major League level.
Driscoll is in his fourth season in the Mets organization and his first with Syracuse. Last season, he was the Mets’ complex pitching coordinator. Previously, he served Mets’ pitching movement/rehab coach as the pitching and movement analyst. During the season, Driscoll may be entrusted with some combination of Jose Butto, Tylor Megill, and/or David Peterson to help them join the Major League rotation in case of injury as well as prepare them to hopefully be part of the 2024 Major League rotation.
Hetzler has spent the past three seasons with the Mets as their complex hitting coordinator, and he was named the Mets Mets Minor League Staff Member of the Year. Hetzler previously joined MMO Weekly to discuss taking on this role and the ability to work with hitters like Álvarez, Brett Baty, Ronny Mauricio, and Mark Vientos during the 2023 season.
Kraus joins the Mets after serving as the associate pitching coordinator and a strength and conditioning coach at Cressey Sports Performance. Notably, Kraus succeeded Driscoll in that role at Cressey.
While there was a complete overhaul amongst the coaches, Syraucse has returned Kawamura and Tavarez from last year’s staff. Weisbach has been promoted from Double-A Binghamton and has been a part of the Mets organization for the past seven seasons.
