Mets To Add Wayne Kirby As 1B Coach, Clayton McCullough Unlikely To Leave Dodgers

When Buck Showalter officially took over as the Mets' next manager in December, he already had some names in mind that could be potential fits on his coaching staff.

Now, Showalter and general manager Billy Eppler are close to making another hire to the staff by adding a familiar face.

According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the team is expected to name Wayne Kirby as their first base coach (later confirmed by MLB Network). Kirby, 57, was Showalter's first base/outfield coach in Baltimore from 2011-2018.

Kirby spent the last two seasons as the Padres' first base coach, but became available after San Diego fired manager Jayce Tingler in October. The Los Angeles Angels attempted to hire Kirby to their staff earlier in the offseason, but failed to reach an agreement.

Kirby will instead reunite with Showalter in Queens, essentially replacing Tony Tarasco, who was the Mets' first base/outfield coach last season. Ironically, Kirby also played the final season of his big-league career with the Mets back in 1998.

In addition to Kirby, the Mets are finalizing an agreement with Joey Cora who will be their third base coach, per Mike Puma of The New York Post.

With Kirby, Cora and pitching coach Jeremy Hefner on board, Showalter still must fill a slew of vacancies at bench coach, hitting coach, bullpen and assistant hitting and pitching coaches.

The Mets are said to be talking to a "headline-grabbing" bench coach candidate, but are currently involved in tricky negotiations with this individual, as Deesha Thosar of The New York Daily News reported on Wednesday.

As Thosar went onto reveal, ex-manager and former All-Star center fielder Carlos Beltran is not being considered for this position. Beltran spent two months as the Mets' skipper during the 2019-2020 offseason before getting fired for his involvement in the Houston Astros' sign-stealing scandal.

Last night, Jon Heyman of MLB Network reported that Dodgers first base coach Clayton McCullough, who interviewed for the Mets' managerial vacancy last month and impressed the organization, has been considered as a fit for New York's bench coach opening. However, the Mets do not believe that he will leave Los Angeles to coach elsewhere since he has turned down other opportunities in the past, per Heyman.

Former Mets second baseman and ex-minor league manager Edgardo Alfonzo has also reached out to the team about returning in a coaching or player development role, but has not received any interest from the organization, as The Post said.

The Mets are expected to finalize their coaching staff by this weekend, per Thosar.