Press Release: Robbie Robinson Named St. Lucie Mets Manager

 

Victor Ramos, Victor Burgos, Gilbert Gomez, Bryce Wheary round out coaching staff 

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (January 6, 2022) – The St. Lucie Mets are pleased to announced their coaching staff for the 2022 season. Robbie Robinson will become the 20^th manager in club history. He will be joined on the staff by pitching coach Victor Ramos, hitting coach Victor Burgos, bench coach Gilbert Gomez and development coach Bryce Wheary. 

Robinson, 33, enters his second year in the Mets organization. In 2021 he managed the Florida Complex League Mets to a first place record (32-22) in the FCL East Division. 

"I am extremely honored and proud to have the opportunity to manage in St. Lucie," Robinson said. "We put together an all-star coaching staff and as an organization we have a ton of young talent. I am so excited to get out to St. Lucie and contribute to developing the next group of New York Mets." 

Prior to joining the Mets, Robinson spent three years in the Minnesota Twins organization. He compiled an 80-43 record managing rookie ball in his final two seasons with the Twins. Robinson made his managerial debut in 2018 by leading the Dominican Summer League Twins to an impressive 50-22 mark. In 2019 he managed the Gulf Coast League Twins to a 30-21 record. 

Before working for Minnesota, Robinson spent seven seasons in various college coaching capacities with stops at Point Loma Nazarene University (San Diego, Calif.), Riverside Community College (Calif.) and Missouri State University. 

Robinson also managed the Northwood League's Battle Creek Bombers and was an associate scout for Baltimore from 2015-2017. 

Robinson played collegiately at Irvine Valley College (Calif.) before transferring to Valparaiso University (Ind.) where he was an All-Horizon League performer. 

Robinson resides in Tempe, Ariz., with his wife Katelynn and children Ellie and Mila. 

Victor Ramos, 40, begins his fourth season with the Mets and his first as the St. Lucie pitching coach. Ramos joined the Mets organization as a player development associate for St. Lucie in 2019 where he headed up the team's video operation. In 2021 Ramos served as the Dominican Summer League Mets 2 pitching coach. 

Ramos was a staff member on Puerto Rico's last two World Baseball Classic teams, serving as bullpen catcher and video coordinator. He has also been a bench coach for Gigantes de Carolina in the Puerto Rico Winter League. 

As a player, Ramos was drafted by the Pirates in 2000 and spent time with the Cubs and Red Sox organizations before Tommy John surgery ended his playing career in 2006. 

Victor Burgos, 34, enters his first year with the Mets organization as the St. Lucie hitting coach. In 2019 Burgos began his professional coaching career as the hitting coach for the Gary SouthShore RailCats of the American Association. 

Burgos played for Independent League teams Schaumburg, St. Joe and Grand Prairie from 2007-2008. 

Gomez, 28, begins his fifth season working in the Mets system and his first as St. Lucie bench coach. He was Robinson's bench coach for the FCL Mets in 2021. In 2019 Gomez was the bench coach for Low-A Columbia. He spent 2018 as the hitting coach for the DSL Mets 2. 

Gomez was a minor league player for the Mets from 2009-2015. He spent parts of four seasons as a St. Lucie outfielder from 2011-2014, appearing in 238 games. 

Bryce Wheary begins his second season in the Mets organization and his first as the St. Lucie development coach. Wheary was a player development associate for High-A Brooklyn in 2021. 

Kiyoshi Tada will serve as the St. Lucie trainer. Tada was St. Lucie's trainer in 2018 and was named the Florida State League Trainer of the Year that season. He was the Binghamton trainer in 2021. 

Kory Wan returns as the St. Lucie performance coach. Wan was the performance coach for St. Lucie in 2021 and 2016. He held the same role for Binghamton from 2017-2019. 

Reid Brignac, who managed St. Lucie to a Low-A Southeast East Division title in 2021, has been promoted to manager of Double-A Binghamton. Last season's St. Lucie hitting coach Tommy Joseph and pitching coach Jerome Williams have also been promoted to Binghamton. Jay Pecci, St. Lucie's bench coach in 2021, has been promoted to bench coach of Triple-A Syracuse. 

The St. Lucie Mets are scheduled to open their season April 8^th at Daytona. The home opener at Clover Park is April 12^th vs. Clearwater. Ticket information, game times and promotions will be announced in the coming weeks.