PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (January 10, 2020) – The St. Lucie Mets have announced that Chad Kreuter will return for his fourth season as the team’s field manager in 2020.
Kreuter, 55, will become the first manager in team history to work a fourth consecutive season. In his first three seasons Kreuter has amassed a 185-217 record. The Mets’ 68-66 record in 2019 was their best mark since 2016.
Several players have thrived under Kreuter’s guidance. He helped develop current Mets’ All Stars Pete Alonso and Jeff McNeil when both played for St. Lucie in 2017. Other big leaguers who have made their debuts after playing for Kreuter include Justin Dunn, Stephen Nogosek, Tyler Bashlor, Gerson Bautista, Merandy Gonzalez, Chris Flexen and Anthony Kay.
“I am extremely excited to be back for my fourth season with the St. Lucie Mets,” Kreuter said. “The Florida State League and the City of Port St. Lucie have become home for me. The FSL annually produces some of the best prospects in baseball and I am sure this year will be no different. We have a young group of prospects slated to debut in St. Lucie this year making it even more exciting for our staff.”
Kreuter’s prior managerial experience includes stints in the Colorado Rockies organization and University of Southern California Trojans. He managed the Modesto Nuts (Advanced-A) of the California League in the Rockies system in 2006 before being named the coach at USC.
In four seasons with the Trojans (2007-10) Kreuter went 111-117.
Kreuter served as the minor league field coordinator for the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2011.
As a player Kreuter suited up for seven different teams. He made his debut in 1988 with the Texas Rangers and hit a home run in his first game. Kreuter enjoyed his best season with Detroit in 1993 when he batted a career-high .286 and clubbed 23 doubles, 15 home runs and drove in 51 runs over 119 games.
He also spent time with Seattle (1995), Chicago-AL (1996-1998), Anaheim (1997-1998), Kansas City (1999), Los Angeles-NL (2000-2002) and Texas again (2003).
Kreuter played collegiately at Pepperdine University and was selected in the fifth round of the 1985 draft.
Royce Ring begins his first year as the St. Lucie pitching coach. Ring comes to St. Lucie after spending 2019 as the Class-A Columbia Fireflies pitching coach.
Ring was the pitching coach for Brooklyn from 2017-2018 and the pitching coach for Kingsport in 2016. He began his coaching career with the GCL Mets as their pitching coach from 2014-2015.
Ring, 39, played in the majors from 2005-2010 with the Mets, Braves, Padres and Yankees. He compiled a 0-2 record with a 3.47 ERA in 26 games for the Mets in 2005-2006.
Ring was a first round selection (18th overall) by the White Sox in the 2002 draft.
Bruce Fields, 59, begins his second season as the St. Lucie hitting coach and his second season in the New York Mets organization.
Fields played 14 seasons of professional baseball after being drafted by Detroit in 1978. He saw major league action with the Tigers (1986) and Mariners (1988-1989).
His major league coaching experience includes time as Cleveland’s hitting coach from 2011-2012 and Detroit’s hitting coach from 2003 until being named bench coach in 2005.
St. Lucie will employ a bench coach for the first time. That position will be held by Endy Chavez. The former Met broke into coaching last year with Brooklyn.
Chavez played parts of 13 seasons in the majors with the Mets, Royals, Expos, Nationals, Phillies, Mariners, Rangers and Orioles. He played three seasons with the Mets from 2006-2009 and appeared in 337 games.
Chavez finished his playing career in 2018 after a stint with the Somerset Patriots of the independent Atlantic League.
Kory Wan, who was the St. Lucie performance coach during the 2016 season, returns to that post in St. Lucie after spending the previous three years with Double-A Binghamton.
Wan is beginning his seventh season in the organization. Prior to joining the Mets, Wan worked as a strength and conditioning coach for Saint Leo University.
Hiroto Kawamura starts his fifth year in the Mets organization and his second as the St. Lucie trainer. Kawamura was the Columbia trainer in 2018, the GCL Mets trainer in 2017 and the Mets Dominican Republic trainer in 2016.
The St. Lucie Mets open their season on April 9 with a road contest at the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels. The first home game of the season is April 11 vs. Fort Myers.
“I can’t promise a Florida State League championship, but what I can promise is that our players will play hard with the determination and respect for our opponent and our fans,” Kreuter said. “They will be a pillar of the community while they are here.”
No comments:
Post a Comment