The New York Mets have begun reshaping their major league coaching staff following a disappointing 2026 campaign, with the organization announcing that Jeff Albert, Danny Barnes and Kevin Mahoney will not return to their current roles next season. The moves represent an early attempt by the Mets to address several areas that failed to produce the desired results during a season in which the club fell short of its expectations.
The most notable change involves Albert, who had become a central figure in the organization’s offensive development structure. Albert joined the Mets in 2022 as Director of Hitting Development after previously spending four seasons as a hitting coach with the St. Louis Cardinals. His responsibilities expanded significantly in October 2025 when he was promoted to Director of Major League Hitting following the departures of Eric Chavez and Jeremy Barnes.
That promotion placed Albert in a prominent position as the Mets attempted to maximize one of the more talented offensive groups in the National League. Instead, the offense struggled badly throughout the 2026 season. New York finished 23rd in Major League Baseball in batting average, 24th in OPS and 23rd in weighted runs created plus, a collection of numbers that highlighted the club’s inability to consistently produce at the plate.
Those offensive struggles ultimately became difficult for the organization to ignore. Although individual players experienced strong stretches, the Mets failed to develop the consistency expected from a lineup with significant offensive talent. The decision to move on from Albert therefore gives the club an opportunity to rethink its hitting philosophy and determine whether changes in coaching, preparation and player development can help produce better results in 2027.
Barnes is also departing his major league position after serving in several different roles with the Mets. He joined the organization in 2022 as a major league assistant coach under then-manager Buck Showalter. His responsibilities later expanded, and he served as the club’s Strategy Coach during the 2024 and 2025 seasons before moving into the Quality Assurance Coach role in 2026.
Before transitioning into coaching, Barnes had a professional playing career as a pitcher and spent time in the Toronto Blue Jays organization. His changing responsibilities with the Mets reflected the organization’s willingness to use his analytical, strategic and baseball background in multiple areas. His departure from the major league staff now opens another position for the Mets to reconsider as they construct their coaching group for next season.
Mahoney is the third member of the group who will not return to his current role. He served as the Mets’ Batting Practice Pitcher for the past two seasons after previously working within the New York Yankees organization. Although his role was different from those held by Albert and Barnes, his departure is another indication that the Mets are evaluating their major league operation from top to bottom after an underwhelming season.
Importantly, the Mets have not completely closed the door on any of the three remaining within the organization. Albert, Barnes and Mahoney are reportedly free to speak with other teams, while the Mets remain open to the possibility of bringing them back in different capacities. That leaves some flexibility for the organization as it determines where their experience and knowledge could potentially fit outside their previous major league assignments.
The coaching changes also come at a critical moment for the Mets. The organization must now assess what went wrong during the 2026 season while preparing for a crucial offseason. Offensive development is likely to receive particular attention after the team’s poor league-wide rankings, but the broader evaluation could extend to strategy, preparation, player development and the structure of the major league staff.
For a team with postseason ambitions, the changes signal that simply relying on the existing setup will not be enough. The Mets will have to identify new voices and approaches capable of getting more production from their roster while creating a stronger connection between player development and the major league club.
The departures of Albert, Barnes and Mahoney may therefore be only the beginning of a larger evaluation. As the Mets look toward 2027, the organization will have to decide which elements of its current baseball operation are worth preserving and which need to be rebuilt. With the offensive results falling well below expectations in 2026, the coaching staff is one of the first areas where significant change has already begun.
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