Dismissed Astros Hitting Coach Quickly Finds New Job With Notable Team

A former Houston Astros coach has found his next job.

Brett Davis-Imagn Images

There were some questions if major changes were coming to the Houston Astros this offseason.

Owner Jim Crane has made some rash decisions in the past, so after his team missed the playoffs for the first time since 2016, it was fair to wonder if he would put his thumb on the scale once again and dismiss general manager Dana Brown alongside manager Joe Espada.

But that didn't happen. Both men are back in their positions for the upcoming season, however, there were a ton of staff changes made that included the dismissals of both hitting coaches Alex Cintron and Troy Snitker.

Considering the frustrations with the Astros' offense the past couple of years, making this change was not a surprise. But as Houston tries to figure out who is going to take over that role for them going forward, it didn't take long for Snitker to find a new job.

New York Mets Hire Troy Snitker as Their New Hitting Coach

Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Andy Martino of SNY first reported that the New York Mets have hired Snitker to become the team's new hitting coach. That comes on the heels of them dismissing their own previous hitting coaches in Eric Chavez and Jeremy Barnes.

According to The New York Post (subscription required), Snitker will work under Jeff Albert, the person who will now run the Mets' major league hitting program after doing exactly that for them in the minors, previously.

Snitker will be part of a remade staff in New York under manager Carlos Mendoza. The skipper kept his job despite missing the playoffs with a roster that has a monster payroll after they signed Juan Soto to a historic contract.

From the Astros' side of things, they likely knew he could and would find a new home soon. Despite things not working out towards the end of his tenure in Houston, Snitker was involved with an offensive lineup that was one of the best in baseball from 2019-25 when he was in charge. That included a World Series championship in 2022, with multiple AL pennants and division titles.

However, the new group of players in place for the Astros appeared to need a new voice, as the team got away from their patented approach that punishes poor pitches late in counts. Still, it will be interesting to see how the Mets do with Snitker taking over as their hitting coach and how it looks in Houston without him.